Side Effects

Every time I give Emily her medicine I think about the side effects.  Short and long term; I wonder if when she wants to have children someday if she will be able to.  A six year-old boy died last year from complications of all these medications so I worry about that too.  The thought that I could be hurting her as much as this nasty disease is always in my mind, but what choice do we have?

Prednisone

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to prednisone: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

blurred vision, eye pain, or seeing halos around lights;

swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath;

severe depression, unusual thoughts or behavior, seizure (convulsions);

bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood;

pancreatitis (severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate);

low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or

dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious prednisone side effects may include:

sleep problems (insomnia), mood changes;

acne, dry skin, thinning skin, bruising or discoloration;

slow wound healing;

increased sweating;

headache, dizziness, spinning sensation;

nausea, stomach pain, bloating; or

changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

Cyclosporine

headache

diarrhea

heartburn

gas

increased hair growth on the face, arms, or back

growth of extra tissue on the gums

acne

flushing

uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body

burning or tingling in the hands, arms, feet, or legs

muscle or joint pain

cramps

pain or pressure in the face

ear problems

breast enlargement in men

depression

difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

unusual bleeding or bruising

pale skin

yellowing of the skin or eyes

seizures

loss of consciousness

changes in behavior or mood

difficulty controlling body movements

changes in vision

confusion

rash

purple blotches on the skin

swelling of the hands, arms, feet, ankles, or lower legs

Taking cyclosporine or cyclosporine (modified) may increase the risk that you will develop an infection or cancer, especially lymphoma (cancer of a part of the immune system) or skin cancer.

Kineret

Injection Site Reaction

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Headache

Nausea

Diarrhea

Sinusitis  

Arthralgia

Flu Like Symptoms

Abdominal Pain

Kineret has been associated with an increased incidence of serious infections.