I recently finished a brief course of Prednisone and was surprised by how much it eased my neuropathy. Does anyone here use it regularly for this condition, and if so, how long have you found it to be effective?
4 Likes
I’ve used Prednisone for a long time and ended up with Type 2 diabetes and cachectic neuropathy because of it. It’s fine if your blood sugar is healthy, but I’d stay away if your neuropathy is linked to diabetes. It works by lowering inflammation, which provides quick relief, but the side effects like weight gain, glucose spikes, and mood changes are rough, so be careful.
Even with neuropathy, I still run, and I was prescribed a short dose of prednisone for a different issue a few years back. My legs and feet felt fantastic temporarily, but then the pain returned. Before the Boston Marathon last spring, a doctor suggested it for a lung issue, but after doing some research, I decided against it, even though I knew it might help my feet feel better.
In my experience dealing with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, there are several alternatives to prescription meds like Prednisone for managing pain. Cutting out inflammatory foods is key, but I’ve also had success with various supplements like Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA), Nervala, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Curcumin, and B12. Lately, I’ve noticed improvements from NAC and nitric oxide boosters too. For short-term relief, indica cannabis can also be helpful.
I have post-COVID SFN, and Prednisone actually worsened my symptoms. It added tingling to the burning sensations and made the burning more intense, so I stopped taking it almost immediately.
Prednisone is awful. I’d never touch it again because it led to significant muscle wasting.
Prednisone can feel like a miracle at first, but the long-term consequences are huge. You really don’t want to stay on it; it changes your facial appearance and completely tanks your immune system.
I’m currently taking ALA for severe neuropathy, and it has brought my pain down to a very manageable level. I tried almost everything else before this with very little success. My doctor is fine with me taking 600mg twice a day. I hope this is useful for you.
It’s frequently prescribed if the neuropathy is autoimmune-related, though it’s usually swapped for other immunosuppressants after a while. It’s a useful diagnostic tool, though, because while not all neuropathies are treatable, autoimmune ones often are.
A neighbor of mine used Prednisone for a long time to manage asthma, and the skin on her arms now looks similar to someone on blood thinners like Warfarin.
Because of a double lung transplant, I’m on a permanent regimen of prednisone. Sadly, it hasn’t done anything to alleviate my neuropathy symptoms.