Coping With Prednisone by Eugenia Zukerman, Julie R. Ingelfinger M.D. (1998)

This book is a personal account of the author's experience with long-term prednisone; how she coped with the side effects. She is a famous flautist and her sister is a pediatric nephrologist who is well-versed in using prednisone long-term. They wrote this book together, and it switches back and forth between narratives by the two of them.

Prednisone changes your appearance; it makes you gain weight in unwanted places, such as the neck, abdomen, and between the shoulders ("buffalo hump"). It makes you much hungrier than you normally are, so the weight gain is difficult to avoid. It also can cause severe mood swings and personality changes; almost psychosis. It disturbs sleep and can cause numerous other distressing problems.

Zukerman had to take prednisone for more than six months for a lung disease. With the help of her sister and with lots of thought and planning, she came up with ways to handle many of the side effects.

I found this book very helpful. I had to take prednisone only for a few weeks, but I knew from past experience that this drug is no picnic and I especially wanted to avoid or minimize the weight gain to the extent possible. There were some side effects that I experienced that my doctor hadn't mentioned to me, such as bone pain.

The book is full of information about prednisone and has an encouraging, supportive tone. I might not pay full price for it (though, if I were facing the prospect of taking prednisone for months, perhaps I would); but I thought it was worth the price I paid for it on Ebay and I would recommend it.