Practical advice on how to live with steroids on a long-term basis. Prednisone is the wonder drug that is used to heal serious illnesses from ashtma and rheumatoid arthritis to kidney disease, Crohn s disease and organ transplantation. It is one of many corticosteroids that have transformed the lives of millions. Yet it can have many devastating side-effects, from weight gain and insomnia, depression and glaucoma to mood swings and osteoprosis. It can even cause cosmetic changes in hair and skin. Despite this corticosteroids can be the only treatment available for some life-threatening diseases. Eugenia Zuckerman is an internationally renowned flutist who suffers from eosinophilic pneumonitis, a rare lung disease, and without prednisone she could die. She found that her doctor seemed unconcerned about the possible side-effects of the drug, effects that could entirely change the life she led. She turned for advice to her sister, Julie Ingelfinger, a doctor for almost thirty years and a Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Together they have written a book for patients from a dual perspective, patient and doctor, that explains in accessible terms how to cope with steroid treatments. Coping with Prednisone is an invaluable handbook for health-care professionals, doctors, carers and, especially, the patient. Doctors often focus exclusively on curing or controlling illness while neglecting what is important to the patient, quality of life. Eugenia Zuckerman and Julie Ingelfinger give the patient as much knowledge as possible, including information on complementary therapies available to increase the patient's quality of life.