I am doing a marathon in 1 week and of course I also just got some poison ivy. So I am taking some prednisone 20mg a day, (steroid?) to get rid of it. Will prednisone cause any weird effects during my marathon?Doc says to take it for a least one week which puts me 1 day from the mary. I figure I will keep taking it until after the marathon.
Thanks
Jeff S.
Jeff,
Everyone reacts differently to different drugs, but I have plenty of experience training/racing with prednisone. My own experience is that I feel great (TONS of energy), but also have a slightly elevated HR. For a marathon, if you train by HR, I would follow that closely, as the drug is likely to make you feel great, right up to the point that you feel completely out of gas. Also, prednisone has a tendancy to make me retain water, so don’t be surprised if you bulk up a little or if you don’t pee as much out as you think you should. In this case, be very careful that you are taking enough liquid on board. Prednisone also makes me crave certain foods, and lots of food volume. Don’t be surprised if you want/need to chow down for the entire run, but beware of running with a full gut if you’re not used to it. Finally, when I stop taking prednisone, I usually experience a few days of having very little energy, so I would agree with your plan to avoid making a change the day of the race.
Luck.
I am not a doctor but I would prefer the poison ivy over prednisone. It is catabolic (reduced muscle mass, recovery, increased fat) rather than anabolic and has one of the longest lists of side effects I have ever seen. It gets prescribed because it’s dirt cheap and works on most any inflammatory issue. But to me it is the ultimate shotgun approach and akin to treating a zit by setting yourself ablaze.
Yeah I saw the side effects and it got me thinking, maybe I will just take it for 2-3 days and then stop, giving me a good 5 days to get back to normal.
Thanks…
Prednisone can also raise the glucose level in your blood. Something to consider, especially if you will be using nutrition supplements.
As Steve said, the effects of the (actually any) medication vary from person to person…This is only a short course of therapy and the side effects should be minimal…most of those side effects listed occur after a length of therapy…Something to consider if your PI has not fully healed…if you have weeping wounds and sweat, you run the risk of spreading the PI…I it were me, I’d take it as prescribed, hydrate well and enjoy the race…
I just finished a round of prednisone for a really wicked reaction to poison ivy. My prescription started out with very large dose and gradually tapered off. Researching it on the web, I learned that is typical and that you should not abruptly quit taking it. Your adrenal gland can’t react that quickly.
Does your dosage taper off? If so, then by the marathon, you may be basically off of it anyway.
I’m a bit skeptical about your assertion Mises. “It is catabolic (reduced muscle mass, recovery, increased fat) rather than anabolic.” My son has Muscular Dystrophy and Prednisone is used by pretty much all MD patients because their muscles are week and Prednisone helps build their muscles. Prednisone is used to keep many boys walking and breating longer by strengtheing their muscles. What has been posted about the side effects is consistent with what I’ve heard though. Especially about eating. Prednisone will make you want to eat like a pothead with the munchies.
Duey
My dosage is take one pill a day for 7 seven days then quit if gone no tapering. I have taken what you are referring to where you take like 5 pills the first and 5 the seond etc… I am leaning to just putting up with the poison ivy seeing how I have only taken 2 pills.
I just recovered from an adverse reaction to prednisone, including a rather impressive case of the hives and severly swollen appendages. Judging from the suprised looks from physician friends, that must have been somewhat unusual - but a pharmacist friend says I’m not the first such case. At any rate, my guess is it is nothing to fool around with.
I’m on prednisone at this very moment. I’ve got bursitis in my big toe. I tend to retain a bunch of fluid (6 - 8 pounds) at first then it slowly gets closer to normal as you taper down the dosage. You do get a pretty good feeling of well-being/invincibility. It can also eccet your sleep patterns a bit.
I’ve had to go on it 3 times the last 5 years. I have noticed an increased HR when on it. This time my perceived exertion seems to be elevated a little bit (but that may be due to some extra fluid retention this time) but usually I feel like I could run through a wall.
this all depends on the length of therapy and dosage…Adrenal gland suppression doesn’t usually start for 7-10 days of therapy…You can get large doses for short periods of time without tapering…they are called Bursts…
How the hell did you get poison ivy in the middle of march in michigan?
The irritant oil from poison ivy hangs around for years.
bri
Hey Jeff…
I also live in Michigan and have had poison ivy to a point of being unbearable before. The steroid you are taking does not heal poison ivy unless its systemic which means it has entered your blood stream. That is usually the case when you are getting breakouts after most of the rash is gone in areas that there was no contact. One thing I have found that works better than anything for poison ivy is a product called Zanfel. It is fairly expensive but it works trust me. Remember nothing heals poison ivy other than time. It has to run its course and all the medications in the world do nothing more than make the time you have it bearable. I like to consider myself a poison ivy pro unfortunatley. The more you get it the worst it gets every contact also. Try Zanfel and stop the steroid and it will go away. I also use a product called Ivy Block when I think I might be in an area where contact might be made. I have some vines on my property that are as big around as a golf club shaft growing up tree’s. It makes me shudder to even look at the stuff.
Tj
Don’t quit your day job because you are so wrong its not even funny. If you break out you “ARE” allergic. You can have hundreds of contacts with it also and then it takes just that one time it affects you. Anti-itch creams are mostly hydrocortizone blockers that keep the urishiol in your system. It is the oil that makes you itch and it can last for over 500 years on anything regardless of temps or enviroments. The only time cold water works is if you can get the affected area rinsed right away after contact. Once the oil sets you are done
Prednisone does work to increase muscle strength in muscular dystrophy, though I don’t think the mechanism is clear. It is normally catabolic as stated above - it is terrible for bone density.
One of the most dreaded side effects if you see musculoskeletal problems is avascular necrosis of the hip, which can occur, contrary to what some believe, with short courses of prednisone. Because of the problems that I see, I also think that unless you are really disabled by the poison ivy, a topical steroid would be a little safer.
Deke
Wasn’t having a spelling contest with you rather calling you out on giving bad advice…
The rest of the world can sit back and laugh all they want as we continue to protect it.
Do me a favor and kiss my “American” ass you idiot.
PM me if you want to continue this conversation also you anti American piece of shit.
Calm down - sounds like you’ve got “roid rage”. He lives in the US.
Or that pesky STD that just won’t clear up! The itching, the itching, for the the love of God stop the itching!