Medrol Pak Withdrawal Symptoms 3 Weeks Later? (Top voted first)

Hello. I was prescribed a Medrol pak (6 days 4mg) for a sinus infection. I felt great while taking it. Finished up on 8/12. Couple days later started getting awful hot flashes Few days later jittery in the mornings and loads of anxiety. Then started having trouble sleeping...tossed and turned all night with waves of hot flashes. I'm 6 months postpartum and nursing a baby. Do you think these symptoms are withdrawal from the Medrol? It's right at 3 weeks now. I've had sweaty hands, jitters, racing heart. When will it end? What will help it?

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Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping my issues over the last few weeks were related to the darn Medrol pak. I started to think I was suffering from postpartum anxiety and started Zoloft. That made me crazy and I stopped after 5 days. Then my OB gave me Ambien because I wasn't sleeping and I took it for 10 days and then stopped....probably triggering more withdrawal type symptoms. It's been an awful 6 weeks since taking the Medrol. :( I am finally starting to see a clearing and hope it keeps on going. I think it messed up my thyroid as well. Will never take this again.

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Hi!
I've had a couple of the same symptoms (clamy hands, heart racing, tight chest pains, jittery) that don't seem to go away! I've been off the Medrol pak (4mg for 6 days) for 4 days now and still no big improvements. I'm hoping my Saturday my side affects subside.

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Hello, RacerD! How are you? Has there been any change? Congratulations on the baby!

It can take a few weeks for all of the side effects to go away, according to reports from the NIH. I have taken it before, too, and hated experiencing them, especially since some of them don't show until after you've already finished your course of treatment with it.

However, if they worsen, or don't go away, then you should consult your physician.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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It's an awful feeling. I'm still having issues and swear it's still because of the Medrol pack. I think it caused my other hormones to go wacky and they are trying to recover. It seems to come in waves now...a couple good days followed by a few bad. Hoping it's coming to an end. Let us know how you are doing in a few more days. I'm curious to see how long it lasts for others...hopefully not long.

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Its been a full week since I've been off the Medrol pak. Yesterday and today have been a lot better as far as chest tightness // pain and blood sugar levels (still not fully recovered though). I was taking the Medrol for allergies while I waited to get allergy tested and allergies aren't as bad today...so that may have something to do with it. I'm hoping in another week I'm fully clear of any side affects. How have you been doing RacerD?

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I'm still having issues and wondering if it's still a domino effect from the Medrol pak. Still heart pounding, jitters, anxiety, fatigue and off/on nausea. It sucks. I wonder if it's messed with my cortisol levels. How are you now?

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I've been off the dose pack for a full week now, and I'm still experiencing high bp, heart pounding, nausea and muscle weakness.
Have any of y'alls symptoms gotten any better? I keep thinking it's getting better, then by the next morning, it's all back.

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Unfortunately I'm still having issues and it's been 8 weeks. I don't know if it's from that or not but that is when my problems started...right after I finished it. I'm also 7 months postpartum and nursing so who knows but I wish I had never taken this Medrol pak in case it started some downward spiral. Hope you get to feeling better. Keep us updated.

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Today was a better day. I saw my Dr today. He gave me meds for the high bp, but scared to take it yet since it fluctuates so much, still. He also said i can take 25 mg benedryl to help with sleep. He wants me to come back on Monday week, for a blood test, to be sure nothing is screwed up. He wants to wait that long to be sure all side effects are gone. Prednisone is now listed on my chart as "don't give ". Now, I'm dealing with the killer migraines. I will post an update after the appt.
Good luck to you. It's tough having to deal with these side effects, but tougher when you have a sweet baby to take care of.

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Stefani, how are you doing now. Tomorrow will be three weeks after my last dose. I am now getting more sleep... some nights 7+ hours, then the next night 2-3. Still dealing with heart Palps and fast heartbeat. Had a stress test yesterday. Won't get those results til Nov. I am so frustrated!! Before the pack I was active, volunteering, working out.

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Are you issues worse in the morning and then get better as the day goes on? Mornings are awful for me but I start to feel better after 5pm.

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RacerD. Saw my cardiologist this morning... all tests and blood work is normal; heart is strong and normal. Need to go back in 6 months. I've noticed the neck pain coming back (the reason I was given the pack), and that's when I noticed my heart rate and palps getting more normal. I am also sleeping a bit more, now. Unfortunately, I have now developed food sensitivities that I've never had before. Any allergan makes my tongue, lips and throat tingle; I am to take Benedryl for those as needed. And, I was prescribed an EpiPen. :( I hope those go away once these side effects completely go away. As if eating wasn't hard enough, now I need to watch WHAT I eat.
I hope everything went well with your tests this morning.

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Hi. How did you come to the conclusion that the Medrol pak through you into full blown menopause? My OB did more hormone testing on me and said I am not in menopause yet but it's hard to know since I'm breastfeeding. I suspect the Medrol pak caused a major hormonal shift as well. I haven't done the cardio testing yet and not sure when I will. I haven't done the thyroid biopsy yet either. I hear they are painful and most people have nodules anyway. So I may just skip all that...I'm tired of medical stuff. The Lexapro does seem to be helping me. I would probably be on HRT if it wasn't for me nursing. The anti-depressants are useful for menopause symptoms too apparently. You might ask your OB about the pros/cons between HRT and taking something like a low dose Lexapro. It has definitely improved my symptoms, mood, etc. I'm taking 10mg. Let me know how you are doing. {edited for privacy}m

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RacerD, how are things now? I have pretty much no symptoms of the Menopause to speak of, but I am still dealing with the occasional chest pain, a few bouts of nausea, and the food allergies. (I've gone to the ER several times, and they can find no cause for the chest pains). I am seriously thinking I am still going through withdrawels, and possible some adrenal fatigue. I will be seeing an endo at the end of the month. What really surprises me is that my blood pressure is lower than normal (??), which is probably responsible for my bouts of lightheadedness.
I still have bad days.. but happy that I have more good (ish). I am really sick of this, and just want to feel normal again!

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I'm still having issues too but much better than I was 2 months ago. I finally saw a psych for my postpartum anxiety and she confirmed that the steroid put everything into high speed. I was probably already having anxiety but it was slowly building. The Medrol accelerated it all big time. I'm still taking the Lexapro and it does seem to really be helping. I'm not happy that I'm on it and wondering when I can get off. I'm glad you are having some good days. I have an echo on the 20th to make sure my heart is ok because these heart palps and PVCs continue. At least that will give me some piece of mind. I will never take a steroid again unless it's some life or death thing I swear. It has totally messed me up. I'm finally sleeping better and do not need any sleep aids thankfully and no more Ativan. What a mess!!

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It's not so much as the medication remaining in your system (I think it's out of your system within a week), it's what it does! Although it shouldn't happen on a short dose, for some, it can affect the HPA axis, causing your adrenals to slow down... Most recover within a few weeks. I'm still dealing with the effects after 3 months!

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RacerD, how are you doing now. Hope you got good results from your heart tests. I have seen an Endocrinologist last week, and still waiting on results. I have developed allergies to MANY foods... in fact, I have about 15 -20 safew foods right now. Since I went from no allergies, to being allergic to almost everything within 1 month, there is definitely something going on, pit tingling my immune system is overdrive. I hope I get some positive answers that will shed light on this.. I am an emotional wreck!! I am so tired of feeling sick, and now I can't eat!! On top of that, I am still waking up every 1-2 hours every night, and still can't nap during the day... no matter how hard I try. The scariest part of this, is that I have also had allergic reactions to medications like benedryl. Oh... and I have lost almost 25 pounds.. I eat 4 times a day, and I can't keep the weight on. I am lucky that my reactions have been minor so far; I am worried they could get worse, and I have an EpiPen. THIS SUCKS!!

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I now have food related allergies. I tested negative to food, but something I'm eating is causing allergic reactions. I am now even allergic to benadryl. I am still nauseous most days, and lightheaded, and I am surviving on meat, potatoes, rice, veggies and eggs. I am even allergic to tap water. And, i cant drink anything out of a plastic bottle. Nobody seems to know what is wrong. I don't even take sore throat lozenges. This steroid set something off, and caused mu immune system to go haywire...

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I just started my 6 days took 2 and after reading all this that will be my first and my last 2

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I agree that it's not worth it, taking this medrol pack. After 5 months of hell, my allergist has got me started to introduce foods back, that I haven't been able to eat in 4 months.... so far so good. I am finally feeling 95% normal (still the occasional dizzy spell), and I am not reacting to foods as much anymore. (Never tested positive to any food allergies, but had 'allergic reactions' to most, even fruit. I don't even have environmental allergies, except for house dust. I believe that the pack got my system completely out of sync, (and, of course, throwing me into full menopause), and hopefully, it's getting back to normal. Prednisone is now listed on all my medical charts as 'do not prescribe due to bad reaction'. Never again! Worst 5 1/2 months of my life!

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