Corticosteroid Side Effects

Anyone who has ever suffered with inflammation of some kind has heard of Prednisone.
It is a corticosteroid that helps to reduce inflammation. It is used in various forms (cortisone, hydrocortisone, pills, injections, intravenous infusions, etc etc...) and is notorious for its wide range of uncomfortable - and often severe - side effects.
This medication can be a miracle-drug when inflammation is ravaging the body and threatening one's life, but it is also one of the most abhorred medication according to patients. It is the epitome of what is defined as a love-hate relationship.

Over the past year I have been suffering with the most severe migraines I have ever had.
While Prednisone is known for causing headaches, migraines could be cause for concern, especially when they are brought on by cortisone injections.
When we take tablets of Prednisone, the side effects are system-wide. They go through our entire digestive tract and are carried around the body, which is why every system can be affected by it. With cortisone injections, the medication is targeting one particular area. In that sense, the systemic side effects should be greatly diminished compared to the pill. With susceptibility to the side effects, the shot is a much more effective way to help reduce pain and inflammation in a joint.
So why are the migraines so much worse?

The concern, according to my physicians, would be an increase in intracranial pressure.
The only issue is, how do we test for it? A lumbar puncture. Yep. Not happening. At least not right now. A lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure that is considered to be one of the most painful diagnostic tests. Not only that, but the risks for someone like me are much higher when it comes to the procedure and the recovery time.
My new family doctor (who has been amazing) is mulling over the idea of ordering a head ct or sending me to a neurologist to discuss this conundrum of a situation and check for any worrisome changes in my brain.

The fear (apart from the chance of increased intracranial pressure) is the possibility of being unable to ever take Prednisone or Cortisone again. (See? Total love-hate relationship). Sure the medication is scary, risky, and uncomfortable, but it is a much more frightening thought to be incapable of ever taking the medication. It may have horrendous side effects but it also saves lives.
It reminds me of the dentist. I hate having to go to the dentist. It is uncomfortable, downright painful for me, even excruciating at times.... but if I was incapable of being able to get my teeth cleaned that would be a much worse situation.

So fingers crossed that it is simply a side effect of migraines and not a dangerous intolerance or pressure change inside my brain.
I am so lucky that I have an effective medication to combat the migraines. I can handle them during a course of Prednisone or for a couple of months after cortisone injections as long as I have my medication to relieve the intensity. Otherwise I would have been in the ER a hundred times over already due to this excruciating pain.

The only thing worse than having to take a pharmacy-stock worth of medication is not being able to take medications or remedies that help symptoms like mine.