Life On Prednisolone

Prednisolone is a steroid medication used to reduce inflammation. It is used for many inflammatory conditions, just as it is used for those with NMOSD. I should be grateful that I have access to medication that is essentially saving me from further damage, right?

Initial effects of prednisolone

I was put on 60mg of prednisolone a week after leaving the hospital. The initial plan was to stay on 60mg for a month and then taper down by 10mg every 2 weeks. That didn’t seem long, and it would help me anyway.

The first week was easy, with no swelling and no increased appetite. At this point, I was comfortable with meeting people as my appearance hadn’t changed much. A few weeks later, my appetite started increasing. I would eat and still feel hungry. The bloating was horrible; it was so uncomfortable to do anything. It felt like the food I was eating just wasn’t digesting.

I started gaining weight rapidly. Then, the water retention became visible. My face started swelling up. It is described as a "moon face," as your face is big and round. This was the point my self-esteem hit rock bottom. I had never looked like this in my life, and it was such a drastic change in a short amount of time. I avoided looking in the mirror, seeing people, or taking pictures. I did not want to see myself like this or be seen by anyone, even family.

Prednisolone side effects

I thought the increased appetite and weight change would be it, but my skin started acting up. I started losing large bunches of hair. Everything I loved about myself was changing for the worst. Along with that, prednisolone can damage the stomach lining. Due to that, I would be sick every other week and unable to eat unless I wanted to be in excruciating pain.

Then, insomnia began. If I was lucky, I would get 2 hours of sleep every day. Otherwise, I would get none, and nothing would help. I tried multiple things, like lavender oil and sleeping pills. It became so frustrating that I wouldn’t have any energy to do important college assignments affecting my final grade.

Coping and moving forward

My neurologist decided that its best I stayed on steroids for longer, which was the worst news for me. But I stayed positive. This was helping me even if there were horrible side effects. After a few months, my knees became weaker. Steroids can weaken and thin bones, which is why many neurologists prescribe calcium and vitamin D to take daily with prednisolone. In total, I was on prednisolone for 6 months.

It has been a month since I have been off prednisolone. I am slowly losing the moon face, I’m finally sleeping better, my skin is clear, and I stopped losing hair. I still have a problem with my knees and bones, I constantly have aches. I isolated myself from people for so long that I sometimes feel uncomfortable being around people for too long. I hope that fades soon, as before NMOSD came around, I was a social and lively person. I still don’t feel pretty, and I still avoid pictures and mirrors but, again, I hope that fades too. I just want the old me back.