Prednisone

Gawwwd how I hate taking prednisone, but as usually happens when I get a bad cold, I have a heck of a time breathing which inevitably requires a visit the Dr. to get my life saving med. If taken for a short time it is a miracle drug, but for people who have to take it long term, it's nasty stuff.

Prednisone is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant, and affects virtually all of the immune system. It can, therefore, be used in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases (such as severe asthma, severe allergies, Angioedema episodes, severe poison ivy dermatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell's Palsy, Crohn's disease, pemphigus and sarcoidosis), uveitis, various kidney diseases including nephrotic syndrome, mononucleosis [Epstein Barr virus], and to prevent and treat rejection in organ transplantation. This medicine may also reduce the sex drive. Prednisone has also been used in the treatment of migraine headaches and cluster headaches and for severe Aphthous ulcer ("Cankersore") outbreaks.
Prednisone is used as an antitumor drug. Prednisone is very important in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, multiple myeloma, and other tumors in combination with other anticancer drugs.
Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry uses prednisone tablets for the calibration of dissolution testing equipment according to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Intravenous application may be employed for cerebral inflammation, as in the periodic attacks caused by multiple sclerosis.
Prednisone is also used for the treatment of the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction which is common during the treatment of syphilis, and to delay the onset of symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The mechanism for the delay of symptoms is unknown.

Side effects....
Short-term side-effects, as with all glucocorticoids, include high blood glucose levels, especially in patients that already have diabetes mellitus or are on other medications that increase blood glucose (such as tacrolimus), and mineralocorticoid effects such as fluid retention (it is worth noting, however, that the mineralocorticoid effects of prednisone are very minor; this is why it is not used in the management of adrenal insufficiency unless a more potent mineralocorticoid is administered concomitantly). Additional short-term side-effects include insomnia, euphoria, and, rarely, mania. Long-term side-effects include Cushing's syndrome, truncal weight gain, osteoporosis, glaucoma, type II diabetes mellitus, and depression upon withdrawal.