• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for ulcerative colitis)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (feeling tense or on edge)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 20 mg Daily

Side effects: feeling tense or on edge

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Increase effect of another treatment)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for possible reaction)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (weight gain, moon face)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: As needed

Advice & Tips: 1st: to minimize the appetite increase from the drug, I made sure I took my dosage at bedtime so I slept through the increased appetite and did not eat. Except I thought of this at least half way through the drug therapy. Please read on for Positive and Negative Effects. Possitive Effects: My fatigue has changed dramatically. I still get tired and sleepy but the real fatigue has mostly dissappeared. I have increased energy. Negative Effects: I gained 13 lbs from taking the prednisone in the mornings, then 1 day my mom told me to take the drug just before I go to bed. That way I would sleep through the side effects. Also, I have a big round face. I ended up with the moon face because I was on Solu-metrol and predisone for quite some time.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: moon face, weight gain

• Effectiveness

  None (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 4 x 5 mg/5 mL Daily

Advice & Tips: dosage wasn't strong enough for what I needed.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for muscle pain)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 50 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: This is a miracle drug but causes weight gain in me. Also cannot be taken only in emergency situations. Will be reevaluated 2/17/2010.I was issued meds to be used when I had a big event and needed to walk.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for transplant rejection prevention)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (weight gain)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: I'd take this with food, b/c the taste can make you nauseous. Keep an eye on what and how much you eat. It makes you hungry so you eat more. Plus, it can make you swell (water/fluid weight). So chances are, you will gain weight. It can also cause emotional strain/anxiety/mood swings. Especially at high doses.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: weight gain

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (feeling of insides shaking)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 20 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: had severe shaking

Cost: $25-49 monthly

Side effects: feeling of insides shaking

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for transplant rejection prevention)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (osteoporosis, broken shoulder, weight gain)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 7.5 mg Daily

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: weight gain

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for transplant rejection prevention)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 20 mg Daily

Side effects: dry mouth

• Effectiveness

  Major (for transplant rejection prevention)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 20 mg Daily

Side effects: dry mouth

• Effectiveness

  Major (for transplant rejection prevention)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for adrenal insufficiency)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (moon face)
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 5 mg Every other day

Advice & Tips: I did not realize I would get that much of a different appearance. I was devistated at the age of 16 to go from underweight to the fat kid everyone made fun of. Even my first boyfriend ever left me and my brothers told me it was because of my weight. After that I had not taken it as much as I should have because I become depressed and felt at that time I would rather be skinny and on dialysis and loved than transplanted and fat and lonely. Years later (the 2nd time around) I know that looks are not everything. My weight is still bothersome for me but this time around spending a longer length of time on dialysis I am more grateful for this gift of life and take it. I noticed however that supposedly I don't have my original adrenal glands (original kidneys removed) yet those times without taking Prednisone I did not notice any difference other than lost the moon face and lost my kidney).

Side effects: moon face, weight gain

• Effectiveness

  None (for weakness in right leg)
• Effectiveness

  None (for relapse MS (exacerbation))
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (weight gain)
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 3 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: Sadly, this time it didn't work :-( Ususally it does.

Side effects: weight gain