how badly is methylprednisolone (a prednisone drug) going to mess me up

[LilacOutsideMyWindow]

My GP, who is well aware of my meds, and the fact that I was heading toward manic and restarted Abilify just a week ago, had given me a Cadista pack of methylprednisolone - it's a short, 6 day pack, where I take 6 4mg pills today, then 5 tomorrow, 4 the next day, until on the 6th day I take just one 4mg pill.

I want to end this fraking headache, so I'm taking the pred.

However, I also want to be somewhat prepared.

What have you guys experienced w/prednisone? I am likely to head right back to manic?

Two pills before breakfast down the hatch and haven't turned into a newt yet, so hoping it will just stop the headache and leave the rest of me be.

[Indigo 'n dye]

Disclaimer: I am not diagnosed with BP, but a "burst pack" should not prove to be too erosive to your condition. It may increase your appetite, especially for sweets, or at least it does mine!

I will hold good thoughts that this burst sends your H/A on its way.

Indigo

[LilacOutsideMyWindow]

Thanks!

[notfred]

Some people have real trouble with steriods WRT their MI. I don't.

nf

[Stickler]

I've found methylpred is easier on my brain cooties than prednisone.

[weordmyndum]

I've never taken methylprednisolone and am not bipolar, but I took a similar short course of prednisone in college when I had a bad respiratory reaction to the stuff in fire extinguishers (long story). It made me rage-y to the point of screaming at people, dogs, cars, the TV, you name it; made me hear voices (I don't have psychotic symptoms otherwise); and it made me suicidal. The third day on it, I called my doctor and told her she either had to hospitalize me or put me on something different. I now list prednisone as a drug allergy on all my medical forms even though it's an adverse reaction, not an actual allergy.

[LilacOutsideMyWindow]

Thanks for all your input.

Good news - other than thinking I heard a radio playing last night (and it could have been a car, I was half asleep, and when I started "looking" for the sound it went away) I haven't had any adverse reactions other than finding I was really hungry yesterday (day 2). Oh, and I can't sleep worth crap - I never get up when dh's alarm goes off, but I have yesterday and again today - and I toss and turn all night (but that I think is caused by the chest pain [heartburn? esophageal spasms?] I'm still having).

I am also doing my best to take care of me - I canceled all extra stuff, I'm asking dh to run the kids to their various activities, and I'm trying to rest during the day.

Best news - I woke up this morning with NO HEADACHE!! OMG! It is quite an amazing thing, this absence of pain. Now to remember to take the magnesium supplement GP wants me to try as a preventative.

[Indigo 'n dye]

Great news that the H/A is gone!

[bpladybug]

Glad your headache is gone! that is fabulous, and good that you can tolerate the med Prednisone makes me a monstor. And last night I took Flonase and developed hypomania 30 mins after I sniffed. So I really can't take this class. Lucky you if you can!

[helloheartbreak]

Give the magnesium a real chance, like 6 to 8 weeks. It helped a lot with the average severity of mine though it was very gradual. If you're not already keeping a log now's a good time to start. Glad the mpred worked for you - I'm another one of those who can't take unless I'm cool with seeing tap dancing neon green kittens swirling around me.

[LilacOutsideMyWindow]

Wonderful to hear that magnesium helps you - even it is "just" with the severity, that could still be a huge improvement.

So, I think I might be one of those people who have paradoxical side effects to steroids (is that possible?) I got on the scale this morning (as I do every day) and found, much to my surprise, that I have *lost* 2.6lbs this week (from Saturday to Saturday). While on a steroid. At least it got rid of the headache, but what the heck?

But, ummm, hallucinations....yeah, I'm not sure if this is a hallucination or not, so I'm going to describe it a bit, k? First, I want to mention that I had things like this a LOT when I was a small child, always at night/early morning, just like this one this morning. So, I'm lying in bed, just kinda staring at the covers, when a light yellow colored "blob" appears in my vision, moves slowly from left to right, while changing shape slightly, then disappears. Then it reappears right where it first did, does the same movement, then gone again...rinse repeat about 10 times. Now, when I was a kid, I firmly remember watching these type things go across my ceiling, and some were colorful, like pink, purple, etc. I've never mentioned it anyone, because it hasn't happened until now. But now I'm wondering, is that considered a hallucination? It wasn't disturbing, I knew it wasn't real, and it wasn't like eye floaters (which I also have) because I kinda see "through" those but this bright yellowish colored blob, while not solid looking, was definitely opaque. And it wasn't car lights, reflections, or anything like that (I know how those move across my room when a car drives by) this was different.