Prednisone Medication: Day 1

5 minutes ago I intake Prednisone 5 into my system. After a long streak of 8 months of not being dependent on that medicine, I again find myself in the Pharmacy asking for 6 pieces of Pred 10 tabs but settled on the 5mg. since the 10mg. is out of stock. I hate/love this medicine. I love this because it really cures eczema flare up, it's like a medicine wonder for us people suffering from eczema. The results are fast and really visible, first intake of this drug and you will immediately see improvements on the eczema.

I came to know this drug a couple of years back, when I was diagnosed of having the skin disease. I didn't know I had eczema before then, I really had no problem with my body skin. I don't have food allergies, I don't react much to chemicals, I have slight reactions to tall grasses and shrubs but other than that I had lived a pretty carefree life. It was late May of 2009 when I noticed the small insect marks on my lower legs. I didn't panicked much thinking the marks would go away but after a few days the marks became watery and itchy. The marks turned into wounds but this type of wound dont dry up nor heal immediately rather it continues to grow bigger. After a few weeks my lower legs were bombarded by open wounds.


My first reaction is to go to a doctor, the doctor diagnosed me of having a dirty blood and so she advised me to take Clindamycin (a type of antibiotic) which I needed to take every 8hrs. for 7days. She also gave me Cetirizine (a type of antihistamine) for the itching, a skin cleanser and an ointment. I devotedly followed her orders, but after a few days I feel worse than before, aside from the unhealed wounds I also experienced heavy breathing each time I take the Clindamycin. My arms also had something that looks like a formation of redish small spots like when you get allergic reaction. My mother feeling pitiful on my condition encouraged me to visit an "Albularyo" (Also known as Quack Doctors. In the Philippines, people still believe in going to this people for cure, "albularyo's" or "hilots" are not doctors rather they believe to heal people through spiritual means). The "Albularyo" said that a guy whom I hurt in the past put a curse on me, her findings made my eyes roll. But for my mother's happiness I just followed what the "Albularyo" instructed me to do. She asked me to keep a match containing something which I cannot remember.

Feeling at my worst state, I found myself asking my mother to accompany me to Makati Medical Center. It's where I met Dr. Ma. Lourdes Aragon - De Veyra, she's at Room 211. Upon seeing her I can't myself but cry, I cried because I feel helpless, hopeless and really down. Dr. De Veyra is a really nice doctor, upon telling her the history of what happened with my skin she immediately assured me that I can still be healed. And so that was how I found out that I had a Nummular eczema (term used for coin-shaped eczema), I was also identified to be allergic to band-aids the brown one made out of cloth (since I used band-aids to cover the wounds), and most importantly I am allergic to Clindamycin, that explained the heavy breathing. My derma was alarmed when I told her about it and she said that I could have died if I continued to take the Clindamycin. That was also how I came to know Prednisone. After a few weeks I was healed. But I still continue to experience mild flare ups and so Prednisone continues but then other sickness came knocking in.

There were nights after during the medication when I wake up feeling like I cannot move my arms and legs. I also feel worried, depressed and tense all the time. I also experienced my worst case of insomnia ever. It was in April of 2010 when I last take Pred, I stopped taking it eventhough I had flare ups, I tried ignoring the mild flare ups  and swear never to take the drug again. What makes me to finalize that decision is when I found out that Pred is not really a friendly drug. Pred is identified to cure eczema and nothing else positive, all that follows are various side effects brought by the drug. I came to know that Pred destroys the body's immune system that taking it will take down your immune system for about a year after your last intake. So Pred intake can result to more sickness. And I find it to be true, just last year I had 5 incidents of boils. Where 1 incident left an ugly dark scar on my lower left leg. After that I hold myself from ever taking Pred again. But that was 8 months ago.

Back in the present, I had to take my chances on Pred again. This is my only hope for now aside from the prayers. Maybe I'll just take Vitamin C to counteract the side effects. So this is my first day of intake, I hope for positive results. That's for the first day of my Prednisone Medication. I'll update you again for the entire medication period. If your an eczema sufferer just like me hope the details above can help you on your own battle of eczema flare ups. Good luck to us!