side effects may include.....

.....blah,blah,blah......serious illness.......blah,blah,blah........may even cause DEATH......blah,blah,blah............

Don't you just love all the wonderful side effects that come along with the medication that is "supposed" to make you feel better?? Sometimes it makes you feel even worse than before! Is it even worth it?? I am starting to wonder that.....

After I had that allergic reaction, the doctor prescribed me to Prednisone, which is a steroid. I was to take 3 a day for 5 days. I am also taking a generic for Pepcid for 10 days. Well, the steroid has kept me up ALLL last week. I was a zombie. Some of the other side effects I had while taking it were headaches, having hot flashes all the time, aches in my back, starving to death, stomach pain, heart burn, loss of sleep, mood swings, having a lot of energy but at the same time exhausted....These are just some that I can think of off the top of my head. But the worst side effects were when I QUIT taking the steroid. I noticed Friday that I my head was starting to hurt worse, like a migraine. Then I was feeling sick to my stomach like I was going to throw up. Then my back was KILLING me. Then I started to feel sooo dizzy. Saturday morning was worse. I had to cancel half my day at the salon and my parents had to drive me back to Pulaski Saturday afternoon. I was sooooooooo dizzy and sick. I felt like I was floating or something and not even in my body. I was miserable. It was pretty scary, actually. I have never felt like that before. I googled it (of course, bc I love google) and what I found out it that I have a cortisol deficiency or "prednisone withdrawal". It is caused from just stopping the medication without gradually stopping it. The symptoms are severe fatigue, headaches, light-headedness when standing, low blood pressure, nausea or vomiting, body aches.... I had all of these. I didn't check my blood pressure but I am sure it was low. I really wish the doctor or someone would have told me that I needed to gradually stop taking it because it has really messed me up! Yesterday (Sunday) I still felt pretty dizzy and sick but today I am feeling MUCH better. I am just going to take it easy this week so I will be ready to work next weekend. Thanks for everyone who has kept me in your prayers and sorry for the ones that I had to cancel your hair appointment, I will make it up to you :)