Posted by OldSchool on April 2, 2002, at 21:09:17
In reply to Re: Kramer: corticosteroids and mood, posted by Dr. Kramer on April 2, 2002, at 20:11:59
> > How dangerous/safe is it to treat rheumatic diseases with corticosteroids (after failing NSAIDs) like prednisone or dexamethasone in unipolar depression concerning side effects on mood ? I read that corticosteroids can cause psychosis or depression or make them worser in existing psychiatric diseases.
>
> Actually, they are bad for bipolars, but for unipolars they may be somewhat protective. Stopping them may make depresion worse; taper slowly and be on a good dose of an AD.
Dr. Kramer, the above is not true. My depression which is severe, was induced by a cycle of prednisone. Corticosteroids can induce unipolar major depression. Corticosteroids can cause mania, depression, psychosis. They can cause ANY mood disorder. The reaction a person gets to corticosteroids is highly unpredictable. One person might get irritable and angry, manic or hypomanic. Another might get weepy and sad. Another might get a mild antidepressant effect, almost a buzz from prednisone.Corticosteroids are dangerous drugs when it comes to inducing mood disorders in susceptible individuals. Unipolar and bipolar.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:101477
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020402/msgs/101577.html