new here

Hello to all, I'm new to this forum. Just diagnosed with crohns in Sept., this year.  After 7 months of sooooo sick and pain racked, one surgery (exploratory), and countless trips (boo hooing my eyes out) trips to the docs. I am looking forward to learning and getting to know you all.  Have been reading the posts and learning some more about the disease and meds. I am right now on 20mg Prednisone (stepped down twice, was on 40), 50mg  Imuran, percocet as needed.  Doc says yesterday that in two weeks we will try to step the pred. down another step and then we can start increasing the Imuran.  These side effects are awful!!!!!!!!!!  I saw where several of you made comments about not sleeping??  Oh,,,how good that would be,,,to sleep the night through!!!!!!!!!!!  Anyway, hope I can talk to some of you soon.  Be warned...I am just plumb full of questions!!!! lol  see ya 

Hi Matthew,  WOW!!  I like the quick response here!!!  My Crohns is severe.  Alot of the small bowel is involved.  It has been the most terrible thing I have ever went through. I hate the fact that I have Crohns for life, but I am so relieved to finally have a diagnosis. I' ve been pretty down and out, now I just want to learn and fight.  I started 40mg daily of Prednisone on Oct 11, then I went down to 30mg on Oct 24, then down to 20mg on Nov 3.  GI doc is keeping me there at least another 2 weeks, mayby longer. Reason is when I started stepping it down, the pain is coming back. I started the Imuran 50 mg on Nov 6. Doc says we will step it up as we take the prednisone down as long as I can tolerate it. With the pain coming back, we don't want to mess with much. I  hear the Imuran will help alot after it gets in my system good, doc says it will take 2 months to see a difference. Thanks for being so supportive, can't wait to get to know you all here....see ya. granna

Welcome granna, if the doctor has not mentioned it please take calcium while on predisone. The drug depletes your calcium which can result in osteoprosis.