* * Anonymous Doc: The Fake Evils of Prednisone

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Fake Evils of Prednisone

Someone forced me to watch an episode of NBC's SMASH last week. I can't watch TV anymore. The episode wasn't even really about this, but there's a plot line running through it where the lead actress is having vocal problems and the doctor prescribes her Prednisone-- which she doesn't want to take because it's so awful and horrible and addictive and causes every possible medication side effect in the world.................... apparently, SMASH doesn't have a medical consultant, and if I were the makers of Prednisone, I would be calling my lawyers and seeing if there's any way we can sue NBC, because they made Prednisone out to be some sort of evil drug that causes mood swings and instant dependence and turns everyone who even thinks about taking it into a drug addict. What terrible thing did Prednisone do to whoever wrote this episode?

I wasn't going to write this post, but then the same person forced me to watch another episode this week, and they mentioned the Prednisone again! As in, OH NO, she's become so desperate that she had to take the Prednisone the doctor prescribed and this is indicative of a terrible character flaw. It's a useful medication. I wouldn't advise taking it for fun or anything, but if you need it, you need it, it's not heroin.

How do people become medical consultants on TV shows, or does the job simply not exist anymore, and that's why nothing ever makes any sense?

12 comments:

  1. The addiction thing doesn't make any sense. But the side effects do make it a drug that's not fun to take in the long term. The weight gain/Cushingoid side-effects suck.

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  2. :P They don't need medical consultants now that they have Wikipedia

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  3. People seem to be so black and white on the issue of taking drugs. It's either "people take too many drugs - let the body heal itself" or "give me prescriptions for anything and everything." And poor prednisone is stuck with an identity crisis - is it an "anti-inflammatory" or is it a "steroid"? I think a lot depends on the patient as to how you refer to it - choose your description wisely.

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  4. I was on prednisone for about 18 months once. I did gain weight, but the whole stopping me from going blind thing more than made up for that.

    -Some random medical student who loves your blog

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  5. I've taken prednisone by mouth once, and it did turn me into a "crazy person" for that time. So I have, over the years, refused unless absolutely necessary. Once I refused after tooth pain that lasted over half a year from filling work that I had done. I dealt with the pain for that long! Looking back, it was kind of crazy to do that, but truly I felt like I couldn't afford to "check out" of life for 2 weeks.

    Since then I have had the shot once, and did not have the side effects. I found that to be very interesting, and am still very curious why.

    As for the addictive aspect, I don't really get it. I've never heard of it creating dependencies. And you're right, people will take what they hear on TV and start to refuse care without question, barring any consideration on their health if they don't treat the actual problem.

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  6. Okay - off topic, but someone forcing you to watch TV? I smell a girlfriend/(or boyfriend, whatever.) ... As one of your loyal readers, I am hoping this bodes well for the prospect of romance during residency! Good luck to you.

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  7. As a pharmacist and also a former singer/dancer I was torn by this episode... I have really been enjoying SMASH but when they brought up the prednisone again I just wanted to scream. I mean, yeah, I've taken prednisone and the pills taste like crap and they do make you feel a little hyperactive and you probably don't want to take them before you try to sleep (as she did in the show)... But really... it isn't like it's a controlled substance or something...

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  8. I don't watch any medical shows for this reason. I thought I was safe with a non-medical show - Forgotten - but then a person that died supposedly died because someone replaced the diabetic's insulin with KCl+ - and supposedly died. Ok...most diabetics I know aren't giving themselves enough insulin that the equivalent measurement with KCl injected subq is going to do ANYTHING. I spent the entire rest of the show going on and on to my husband about medical shows that are so inaccurate ......being an L&D RN prior to the job I am in now, deliveries are an issue also.

    I am seriously considering sticking to Discovery channel or any other documentaries here on in. Anything. ( my husband is happy, that means more of the Golf Channel!)

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  9. I just can't stand the complete lack of scientific literacy on TV. For example: a character looks through a run of the mill compound microscope and the camera shows us an image that could only be from an electron microscope. It just takes you right out of the story arc. *sigh* Back to books.

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  10. Absolutely Ridiculous! I have been taking prednisone for 6 years and yes i gained wieght but i also lost it, and the other side effects do take place but they subside after a while. This medication saved my life and it is ridiculous how people don't do proper research before performing an episode.

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  11. This Drug made my mother go blind. She has be directed by her doctor to take it for her lungs. Now if she goes off the drug, her body will have messed up reactions...she gets very week out of breath and can barely get up to go to the bathroom. She is dependent on it now. Doctors tried to slowly lower the does but she relapsed and had to basically start the treatment over at high dosage. This drug can be evil...in this case she will never see her grandchildren grow up.

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  12. Prednisone is dangerous. Eveyone should be warned against taking it unless you literally need it to stay alive.

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