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Positives of Prednisone

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Posted 10/8/2008 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hello! I don't post here often but am going to try to be more active. I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago and have never fully gone into remission. As a last ditch effort before Remicade or Humira my doctor is putting me on prednisone. I was fighting it every step of the way because of the side effects however she wants to exhaust ever avenue before pulling out the big guns. So does anyone have anything good to say about prednisone? I am feel so sick tonight and just want a little hope. I start tomorrow. My doctor doesn't want to prolong starting it so I am well enough to run the 1/2 Marathon in January to help raise a cure for this and UC because I don't know if I can go another 6o+ years with this disease.


TIA - Lisa

*************
I have edited out your sig, as we do not allow people to promote their fundraising efforts on this forum - Ivy.

Post Edited By Moderator (ivy6) : 10/11/2008 6:11:56 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/8/2008 3:05 AM (GMT 0)

Welcome!

For all the things I don't like about prednisone, I do have to say it has helped me.  I have Scleritis of the eye and prednisone has so far been the only drug to come through for it. I am currently on other medicines which will take a bit longer to kick in.

The prednisone wipes out all the pain (eye, stomach, joint) and not even the narcotics I have taken have done that.  I have more energy while I am on the pred.  My stomach feels fantastic.  Evenmy asthma is better.

I have been on and off (more on) this drug for almost a year now and this post was really a good one because I have started focusing on all the negative aspects of the drug, when really, it does have its positives as well. 

I hope you feel better soon and that the prednisone helps you out!

Posted 10/8/2008 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Lisa, when I was really bad (I have RA) I litterally could not dress myself or walk down a flight of stairs. I got my prednisone script at 11:00 am and by 6:00 pm when I woke from my nap I could stand in the shower, dress myself and take the dog out. By three weeks I went bowling with my nephew.
If you start on a sufficient dose, and your problem is inflamitory, you will almost certainly feel better in a matter of hours.
I have more energy when on prednisone.

When you are really sick prednisone is your best friend.
As soon as you start feeling better you will start complaining about side effects. Actually I stayed on 5 mgs for four months with no side effects at all. Once you are stable you will want to reduce your dose to the lowest dose that keeps you feeling well.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.
Sj
Posted 10/8/2008 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Artzi--I've only tried entocort, not prednisone. I'm with you, I will avoid it until I absolutely cannot. Please look into all of the side effects before trying it--I'm not saying don't take it, just be careful with it. I have a friend in her mid-20s who has osteoporosis because of her prednisone use. Don't be afraid of trying a biologic. Soon they are not going to be seen as the big guns. From what my dr. tells me, there will be more options over the next five years.
Posted 10/8/2008 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
It game me instant positive results. The day before when I had my endoscopy/colonoscopy done I was unable to eat much more than broth and crackers. The day after I started taking prednisone and I was eating sushi or, more importantly, real solid food for the first time in goodness knows how long.
It does have its negative side effects, but it should make you feel so much better. Much less pain, more appetite, and a lot more energy.
Concerning the energy and appetite though, remember not to overdo it! I made that mistake and ended up in the hospital again later.
Posted 10/8/2008 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't say it helps everyone, there are many who suffered more with side effects compared to any (if any) relief from it...but I always had good experiance with pred until stopped working all together, now it does absolutely nothing for me, no benefits, instead just side effects and I never even used to get much side effects from them in the beginning.

:)
Posted 10/8/2008 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Ive only done the entocort route but the big benefit for me (and my husband) was a HUGE increase in my sex drive. Like it was all I could think of 24/7 and everything felt 100 times better than usual. Ive heard other people say it upped their libido as well.
Posted 10/8/2008 6:07 AM (GMT 0)
Yikes supersaw, you really shouldn't be taking aleve with having an IBD, they are known to increase risk of bleeding in the bowels, that goes for all those asa drugs like aspirin, advil, ect.

:)
Posted 10/8/2008 11:56 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone for the feedback. I woke up this morning feeling miserable and am hoping to feel better by the afternoon! I am starting out with 60 mg and will taper off within 6 weeks. I just finished an Entrocort taper and it didn't work to the extent we would have liked, as soon as I was off it, the flaring started again. If this doesn't work our next step is humira which I am ready for at this stage in the game.

One more question, did you all drink alcohol while on Prednisone? I have a call in my doctor to find out, the bottle and description didn't really say much about drinking so I was curious.

Post Edited By Moderator (ivy6) : 10/11/2008 6:12:29 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/8/2008 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
I wanted to give you some information on managing the possible weight gain issues with Prednisone. Everytime I was put on it, I gained at least 30 pounds and know there are others who have gained a lot more. I finally got fed up and talked with a nutritionist.

If you carefully monitor you sodium intake (keep it at about 2000mg/day or less if possible) and watch your calories (based on your build 1500 - 2400 a day). It really works! The last two times I was on pred I actually lost weight by logging everything I ate and watching the levels of sodium and calories. There is sodium in more than you think.

Not trying to scare you. Just hope this information helps.
Posted 10/8/2008 8:22 PM (GMT 0)

supersaw said...
about the above two posts....I did ask my doctor about taking things with prednisone....they said other OTC meds are ok, and alcohol was ok, as long as "you don't kill yourself" is what I was told.

I have had alcohol while taking pred on a few occaisions....no problems.

When I take Aleve with pred, it might be only one in the afternoon, and not every day. Give me the option of bleeding stomach or not being able to move at all, I will select the bleeding stomach option.

The problem there really isn't taking that with prednisone. It's the NSAIDS in general can be very bad for people with IBD. I think I'd pick finding another way to help with the joint problems (seeing a specialist for that is where I'd start). Considering I was hospitalized and lost half of all the blood in my body from a serious GI bleed, after taking aspirin for headaches. I didn't know about my IBD yet at the time. The bleeding can be serious, and nothing to fool around with.

 

Posted 10/8/2008 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
I loved being on prednisone. I felt so much better so quickly, it really brought my disease under control. I also had a TON of energy, and felt like a normal person again. I felt the way I did 10 years ago when this all started up for me.

The downside was the weight gain. I really thought I could control what I ate. I went out and bought healthy snacks and tried to watch what I ate. But it was such an uncontrollable urge. I had cravings of all the wrong things, and would find myself eating those along with the healthy stuff! LOL Tapering wasn't easy for me either, I got some nasty headaches, and had to go down slower.

I wish they had something that made us feel that great without all the side effects, that we were able to stay on.
Posted 10/9/2008 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
Let us know how things are goin. lol gail
Posted 10/9/2008 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
I took pred because I was in a Crohn's flare up, not for joint pain. It helps to calm the inflammation in the guts, and put me back in remission. Pred is an anti-inflammatory, so it's supposed to reduce swelling. Which in turn can reduce joint pain. Are you on any other kind of treatment for your joints? Have they told you what specific problem with your joints that your having (like RA for example?). I think I'd ask my doctor about what else can be done, since your still having pain, and the pred isn't doing the trick.

I wish you luck with the NSAIDS. I won't touch them, the last thing I want is another hemmorage. For me it didn't happen over night with taking NSAIDS either. Over the years I was taking aspirin, here and there. Then one day bam, serious bleed. So all of my docs agree that it's off limits.
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