Life On Prednisone

It seems like I've been on Prednisone since the Bush administration. The first one. The doctors tell me it's a miracle drug. The doctors tell me I wouldn't have survived without it. I tell the doctors I'm not sure it's worth it. You want side effects? I'll give you side effects (see link below)! No, I don't have all of them but believe me having some of them is quite enough, thank you very much. Anyway, as of this writing Dr. DePalo is weaning me off of it. He has added another medication, Imuran, which (in theory at least), is supposed to eventually replace the Prednisone
and protect my lungs from being eaten by my liver. Or something like that. Do I look like a doctor to you? But to quote the good doctor, "neither of these meds is chicken soup...we just have to decide which poison to give you." He inspires a lot of confidence, doesn't he? He believes that Imuran has fewer fun side effects, so we're gonna go with that. Meanwhile, I don't know my own body anymore. The Prednisone or the rest of the crap I take or perhaps some combination thereof has made recognizing myself every day quite challenging. One doesn't realize how comfortable and familiar one is with the topography and workings of said body. When your various extremities and appendages any sundry body parts start changing and shifting and behaving in ways to which you are not accustomed, it can be quite disconcerting. What I like to call "Balloon Head Syndrome" (see above) is a direct result of Prednisone. Wanna know what I look like? Just picture Jerry with red hair and you've got a pretty good idea. I look like someone inflated my head with a bicycle pump. Kinda feel like that, too. I look in the mirror every morning to check whether or not my head has finally floated away. No such luck...yet.
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-9383-PREDNISONE+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=6007&drugname=Prednisone+Oral&pagenumber=6

The following link (Imuran side effects) has been added by popular demand:
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-13983-Imuran+Oral.aspx?drugid=13983&drugname=Imuran+Oral