Prednisone/Mestinon and moodiness
 

I have only been on steroids for three days now. I don't even know if this is enough time to take effect, but I haven't noticed a decrease in symptoms and I actually feel like some of my older symptoms (breathing) were showing up a little bit. That isn't severe and I know if I start having breathing problems I need to go to the ER to be safe. What I am a little conerned about is my moodiness. I am still battling some depression and anxiety, but I feel like I'm being snippy/agitated. I even admitted this to my girlfriend last night because she could tell I was being impatient with things that I normally wouldn't have an issue with. I think it's the steroids but has anyone else had this problem? Can the Mestinon cause some muscle twitching at times as well?

(I am currently taking 20mg of Prednisone twice a day, a pill every 12 hours. I am also on Mestinon 60 mgs, and I take a half of pill every 4-6 to hours. This is my first time taking these medications on a daily basis so I am still trying to figure out what works for me. I have a follow up in a week with the doctor to check on things.)

You aren't imagining the mood symptoms! Pred can cause all of the above.

I just hate hearing of people taking prednisone in the evening! ICK! ACK! Pred for AI stuff is best taken at the time of day when the body naturally makes adrenal hormones which is 5-8 am. Most take their dose as early as possible in the morning so it can mimic the body's pattern and so the bulk of the side effects are settled in the evening so you can sleep.

Forty mgs is a pretty hefty dose, and it's possible that you are temporarily feeling some increase in symptoms. That is common, and will probably lessen soon, but please be careful and watch the effects and act accordingly.

For now, try to be easy on yourself and when you feel you are being snippy or about to "boil over" just mentally step back and give yourself a moment to gather some control, although it does feel good to let loose (but only while you are doing it--the regret is immediate!)

Good luck!

I started on 40 mg of pregnisone and my doctor told me to take it in the morning. I did note that my MG symptoms had less fluctuation and all my muscle pains went away. I know that pregnisone can effect your mood but it had a positive effect on mine. I was more chipper and I actual caught myself singing. I had not sung in almost 2 years.

It did give me insomnia and big black and blue marks without having injured my limb. I am currently being weaned off pregnisone. The insomnia went away at about 25mg dose, but the muscle pains and badder days are working their way back in.

kathie

Great advice on taking it in the morning. I will ask my doc about that because they just said to take it twice a day.

Ok, my mother who is a nurse wasn't happy when I told her I started steroids because she is worried about the long term effects, but I also explained that the doctor wants to try this to treat the vision issues. I think the motherly instinct took over her medical experience for a quick second :) . She is just being a good mom and she doesn't know much because she lives 1300 miles away from me.

Oh, that's a mom thing. We never want our "little lambs" to do anything that may cause harm. I am also in the medical field, and have a teenager and understand her reaction completely. LOL She'll come around soon when the "nurse part" gets a chance to think it through a bit.

Also, the snappiness will decrease with a lower dose. In the meantime, just try some coping techniques.

Hang in there!

I would ask your doctor if this is a short term or long term strategy. Most doctors try this first to get the patient some fast relief ( pregnisone is cheap and insurance never question it), but then wean them off slowly as they try treatment that take a longer time to be effective, like cellcept or imuran or getting your insurance approved for IVIG or plasmaphoresis. I am glad I am being weaned off. I would not want to be on pregnisone for a long time because of the multiple severe side effects. Have you discussed treatment options with your doctor?

kathie

Basically I got a call from the Nurse Practioner that said to start this stuff with the intructions. I follow up in a week when I can ask more questions.

Kathie, Interesting! It's called a paradoxical effect, or paradoxical reaction. Lucky! :)

Perfect! It will give your doctor a point of reference. :)