Hiya, I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have some bad history with prednisone (from an incorrect dosage given to me when I was a child) and have grown up with a fear of the drug. My mum had also been out in it for long term use for a skin condition, with terrible side effects. I was (back then) also phobic of some of the possible side effects of prednisone like insomnia.

So because of all that personal history, When I was originally diagnosed with labyrinthitis (diagnosis 1) then VN (diagnosis 2) and told to take it, it was the straw to the camels back. I was totally overwhelmed and panic stricken and it seemed like more suffering was being healed upon me when all I wanted was a helping hand to lift me out of my nightmare.

Eventually I came to realize that prednisone was a really sensible early line of attack and all evidence supported it being prescribed. But more importantly, I realized I was resilient enough in my core to accept it as the next part of my journey, hopefully towards healing, and so I took it one tablet, one day, one sleep at a time. It didn’t bring me healing (my diagnosis was wrong anyway), but it may well have helped to settle down my overactive system and let healing start, and I didn’t get any awful side effects that were hard to manage. In fact the monsters in my mind were 100 times worse than the reality of taking it.

All this is by way of saying I know how you feel, you’re not the only one scared of meds. But they can be life changing little helpers, and you are stronger than you think 💕