Long term prednisone use anyone?

 Gosh I wish I could offer you some solutions, I have been on predinzone many times, but never longer than a couple of months.  I feel like I am need of some now, back legs tail bone are killing me.

But as I have heard from others and drs, that long term predizone use actually makes your bones more brittle, leaving you suspectible to osteoporosis. Does your dr have you on anything else to help build up your bone density so that this doesnt happen to you?

Thats about all I know, Im sure others will be around soon and hopefully have more valuable info, like what the dr. should have you on to help prevent the osteoporosis. I cant rememeber the name of the certain meds, but I know they are out there.

I hope I have helped a little.... ......

That sounds like MIL, she on very low dose, and her skin bust open at the slightest thing. You can almost look at it and her skin will bust open she is 79.

What are some names of the meds they have for bone density after she gets her bone density test?.... ......

Thats a good idea, to carry a Id card, I carry one for my IC ( interstitial Cystitis) bladder malfuntion.

Im allowed to use any bathroom public or not becasuse of my condition.

But still curious what type of bone density meds are out there to take for one who has to be on long term pred. Its might not be long before i have to my slef, and curious too what meds can you take to counter the brittling of the bones.. ....

I just noticed a thread on osteoperosis meds just a few below yours reclast vitd and forte... It will give you more info and some stories from others who have been on these drugs.

Thanks for your replies everyone!

I am currently taking 40 mg a day and tapering down. My doctor said that I may need to take 5 mg every other day to make sure the scleritis stays away. I am guessing that may not be too bad after all?

Have Polymyalgia Rheumatica and fell broke shoulder 3 places in the spring last year. fell again this fall broke wrist went to Rheumy she ran $2000 worth of tests. Really soft bones and brittle severe vitamin D depletion. Put on 15mg prednisone for pain and Fosamax. The fosamax made me feel lousy and body pain. Wanted me to Take Reclast but after the fosamax I was afrai the side effects might last a year. Trying Boniva and will start the 3 month injection.I have a love hate relationship with Prednisone.

Was just put on Plaquinil said it takes 3 months to kick in and have to have eyes examined every 6 months from this medicine. It can cause cataracts I believe. Try anything for the pain and lousy feeling I guess.

Have a pain free Easter,
Fluffytwo

Either way thats scary, got to take the meds to stay alive, but then they cause problems. Im sorry

Fluffy, I hope the bovine helps, you got to have somethign in there trying to protect your bones.

Happy Easter to everyone, as pain free as possible.... ....

My 22 year old daughter has had asthma since she was 4 years old. She has been on Prednisone ALOT for her asthma and her JRA when she has had flare ups plus she was on other steroids for her asthma growing up. So far so go; no serious side effects except she did gain weight which is not good for her JRA. Now in the last year when she has a flare up of her JRA she refuses to go on Prednisone because she does NOT want to gain any more weight and in fact she has been working extremely hard to lose weight and has lost a little and now she is stuck because of the seizures. If it's not one thing it's another but she is determined to get through this. In school she was named Queen of Endurance. Unfortunately she wasn't able to finish high school due to her health problems but as soon as she can get stable she plans on going to get her GED and go to college and one day go to medical school. She wants to be a doctor. It's never to late!!!

I took prednisone for 8 months, just finally weaned off of it.  Started at 5mg, went up to 10mg, then tapered off 1mg at a time from there.  I almost immediately started losing a SMALL bit of weight without trying.  Yay, but now I'm gonna have to work at it-in moderation. 

My most irritating side effect beside weight gain was my hair (already dark and thick) became more noticeable on my face, darker and thicker. I t makes me self conscious and I won't put my hair back to expose the side of my face.  I wondered if with long term use if I would eventually have more facial hair.  Definately not desirable for a woman. 

Also the shape of my face has changed a bit, not in a good way.  And not just from the weight gain. 

These are all regular noted side effects.

My rheumy explained that it's not a matter of if you will have side effects from this drug, but when.  A bit disturbing, since I usually don't have much of any side effects.

So I'm glad the doc took me off.

best to you with your meds,

nev

Hi Indigo,

 

I've been on prednisone for over 8 years now. I bounce around from 5mg to 20mg depending on my lupus, etc.  I try to stay around 8mg to keep out of any flare ups.  I also get a yearly bone density test.  So far I'm doing pretty well on it.  I got cataracts in the beginning when I was on high doses - 30mg or higher, but they went away when I tapered below 20mg.  So they're not permanent if you can stay away from the high doses.  5mg is a good small dose. I hope it works really well for you!

Ginny