Vent: Moonface/ Steroids/ I am tired of being sick
I am desperate and just need to vent. Maybe someone also has a positive story to share?
I was recently diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis by a rheumatologist, although my general practitioner and I had already suspected it for quite some time. It was an incredibly difficult journey just to find a rheumatologist who would even see me. The only thing that gave me any relief from the pain was steroids, so I’ve now been on prednisone for six months, with the highest dose being 60 mg.
This is now the fourth time I’ve tried to taper down the prednisone, but every single time I reach the 20 mg mark, the pain becomes unbearable again and I end up having to increase the dose. I’m currently in week 10 of taking Methotrexate, but it still isn’t working well enough. Starting in July, I’m finally supposed to begin biologic treatment, and I really hope it will change my life again. I am so incredibly tired of being in pain and feeling horrible about the way I look.
Right now, staying above 20 mg of prednisone feels like the only way I can manage daily life. But as we all know, steroids come with a price. For me, that price is the moon face , along with other side effects. I’ve reached a point where I can barely look at myself in the mirror anymore, and I avoid having photos taken because my face has changed so much. I don’t even want to leave the house anymore. People don’t realize that I’m sick or that this is caused by medication, and honestly, I just feel embarrassed and ashamed.
And to be honest, it’s really, really bad. My face has at least doubled in size.
Did your moon face go away quickly after lowering or stopping prednisone? Is there any chance for it to improve while still taking prednisone?