Anyone Else Have Problems Taking Cortisone?

[blueskies]

I often have to take cortisone to help with my allergies and my red burning skin problems that could be allergic response, intolerance or just 'something to do with POTS' as my allergist put it.

I had a dental appointment yesterday. I've developed an intolerance, (possibly building to an allergy -- it happens to me this way sometimes) to lidnocaine it seems (without the adrenalin part btw). My allergist worked out a strategy for me. Told me to take 25mgs of cortisone on the day before I had dental work, 50mgs on the day of dental surgery, and 25mgs on the day after.

It's now the day after and I feel like ****. My skin is sore and red and burning and I'm sitting in front of a fan, and having cool showers on and off. It seems like the cortisone did nothing but make me feel sick and so far, give me a couple of terrible nights of agitation and nausea etc. I'm shakey today after this mornings dose.

I can usually take smaller doses of cortisone - e.g. 5mgs to 12.5mgs without too much ill effect but these larger doses make me feel so sick and anxious.

I have more dental surgery scheduled next week but am going to have it put back another week because I need time to recover, physically and emotionally. Then early next year I have to have 2 teeth removed and wear a plate until the site heals and then, if I can afford it, I'm looking at surgery to have teeth implants.

The reason my allergist worked out a strategy of cortisone for my surgery is that I was deleveloping stronger and stronger reactions when I had the injection at the dentist. But this reaction was as strong as any I had. Almost as strong as the reaction I have to twilight anaesthesia.

just feeling very despondant and not sure if I should just have the dental work done and not take the big doses (for me) of cortisone or if this is being silly and I should 'brave up' and take the cortisone for the dental work.

Talk about being between 'the devil and the deep blue sea,' as old sailors used to say. No choice or a choice, it all seems scarey and daunting.

blue

[Katybug]

I had a mild case of Stevens-Johnsons Syndrome due to prednisone (a synthetic cortisone). I was also unable to take hydrocortisone as I started to have similar symptoms. Based on what you wrote above it might be worth it for you to research the pharmacogenetics of drug metabolism and discuss it with your doctors. It may be new to them. Since adverse drug reactions are common in EDS patients, my geneticist just gave me the kit to do the genetic testing that can now be done. I not only have adverse rxs, I am also immune to several drugs like local anesthetics and morphine and most recently, Ritalin. The testing determines if you have gene mutations that effect how you metabolize meds and then, from the literature,it sounds like the test report should give some suggestions as to how to customize drug treatment plans for me based on my genetic results. Genelex is the lab that does the testing. It's just a couple of cheekswabs.

[blueskies]

Thanks katybug,

I'm in Australia so I guess I need to ask my docs about genetic testing, I guess. They've not bought it up. Certainly anything that would help pinpoint what is going on with my skin and adverse drug reactions as well as food intolerances etc would seem that it might be helpful.

Not sure that I haven't experienced some sort of reaction like Steven Johnson's Syndrome although much much milder. Though my allergist has never suggested it and I was not hospitalized for it. I was taking my usual large weekly dose of magnesium sulphate to make my bowels work a few years back and eventually I started to get red burning skin with it. Then one day I took it and ended up with the skin on my face peeling mildly, just like a bad sunburn. It was very weird in that small bits of skin lifted away from my face -- it looked like pustules on first examination all over my face - but finally when I touched them they started to peel. Those 'pustules' were dead skin. Cortisone cream fixed it up. But my allergist said to expect it to happen again. It has a couple of times but I have not been able to pinpoint the cause and also, the 'pustule/dead skin' on my face has only been very mild -- one or two little ones that tell me that I've eaten/taken something that my body does not like. Small doses of prednisolone will clear it up. The cream just drives me crazy now, it causes my face to itch like crazy.

I'm actually taking prednisolone. I should have been more specific.

At the moment my face and neck have returned to their usual pale colour but I have a moderate burning sensation on the skin of my arms and back. I think the smaller dose of predinisolone this morning combined with sitting in front of a fan and having a few cool showers is keeping it the worst red burning feelings at bay. But how does one have a life sitting in front of a fan and having to get in and out of a shower numerous times in a day? Venting here, sorry.

blue

[blueskies]

I just had a quick cry - it doesn't help but somehow I felt overwhelmed -- and for once the god's were looking out for me as I rang my allergist's secretary and was told she was booked out to way into next year but then I got a 3.30pm appointment this coming Monday. So, I'll put back my next dental appointment and see her first and she what she has to offer up. As you suggested, Katybug, I'll ask about genetic testing. I'm so sick of this hit and miss approach, especially as I seem to take more hits and it hurts.

blue....the only thing that stops me going insane is knowing I'm not alone with this thing.

[KareBear]

(((Hugs))) blue

[blueskies]

thank you medic girl. {{{{{hugs}}}} right back to you.

blue