• Taking steroids

    Posted by brenda-denzler on August 23, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    Folks,

    I’m having trouble with an itchy rash. Doc gave me a very short course of low-dose steroid. I don’t have a lot of experience with steroids in recent years. I took a slightly higher dose in the summer of 2020 for an even worse rash, and as I recall, I didn’t like how it made me feel. I thought I’d enjoy the extra “umph,” but I didn’t ever really get that boost.

    Question is, how have you guys handled steroids? Any words of experience to share?

    jen-cueva replied 1 year, 7 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • jen-cueva

    Member
    August 24, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    Hey @brendad53, I’m sorry you have an itchy rash. I had itching related to my kidneys the last few weeks, and nothing relieves it, but Atarax (hydroxyzine) helps the most for me.

    Taking them is the devil- they help, but the side effects suck.

    Here are some links to where we have discussed taking steroids, especially steroids. Maybe it will help. I hope you get some relief soon.

    Prednisone Side Effects
    Discussion about Prednisone: What are your experiences?

    The Prednisone Jitters?

    Do Steroids Tend to Make You Hungry or Eat Less?

    • Colleen

      Member
      August 24, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      @brendad53 steroids are a necessary evil. They really help with what they are prescribed for but boy do they have side-effects. Is it prednisone? I’ve never dealt with the rash. Has anyone else experienced a rash when taking steroids?

      @jenc I’ve been meaning to ask you about the rash regarding your kidneys. Is that a common symptom I should watch for in Cullen? What causes it?

      • brenda-denzler

        Member
        August 24, 2022 at 3:23 pm

        I”m going to try to hit Jen and Colleen with one reply. We’ll see how this goes.

        Jen, Colleen’s right. The links didn’t come through. HOWEVER, if I were a more astute newbie and less pitiful and helpless, I would have thought to do a search under steroids. I will do that when I finish here.

        Colleen, I have itchy skin often along my lower back, roughly over my kidneys. It comes and goes. So does my kidney function. My kidneys are like a spluttering car engine. Running, but not smoothly and sometimes really pinging and missing beats. I have tended to associate poorer kidney function with the possible side effect of itchy skin. I’ll be interested to hear what Jen has to say on this.

      • jen-cueva

        Member
        August 25, 2022 at 1:33 pm

        OMG, most definitely a possibility this is kidney related. Do you know what stage your kidneys are at or your GFR, by chance? I know you mention it pings and misses a beat, LOL.

        But I always know my kidneys are not filtering as usual when I start itchy all over and actually have scratches all over my body. At the hospital, Manny was concerned that they would think he did it, LOL. But I said more as I got into it with a wild cat. Mine has to be about stage 4 before it drives me bonkers. But I think my body has adjusted to stage 3 CKD for several years.

        How is your itching(pruritus)today?

      • jen-cueva

        Member
        August 25, 2022 at 1:36 pm

        Hi @colleensteele, it’s not a rash, really, just itching. The reason is that when your kidneys aren’t filtering the toxins out, as usual, it builds up and causes pruritus, aka itchy skin.

        Has Cullen had any issues with this?

        @brendad53, I understood you are taking the steroids to clear up the rash, did I mix that up? Now after reading @colleensteele’s questions I am confused.

  • jen-cueva

    Member
    August 24, 2022 at 1:52 pm

    Hi @colleensteele, I’m trying to add them, and it’s not linking them. I’m working on it. Stay tuned, hehe.

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