Opinion needed

 i sure do love this site.  i come here quit often to read and learn.  Thanks everyone for the knowledge you have given me.  I have had this dd for 10 yrs.  I had my large intestine removed in 02 and part of my small removed in 09.  This last yr has been like heaven due to Predisone.  Sure i have some bad days but that is because of DIET.  I am assuming.  I put a pad underneath me just incase when i sleep.  You never know.  i have been wanting to not use it butttttt.    

i was in the hospital due to flu and chrohns flare up.   After getting out i was on 60 mgs of pred.  tappered down to 20 and felt great.  Called gi doc and he wanted to put my on flagyl.  I hate that drug, i said i would but did not.  i put myslef along with family doc. on 15mg of pred every other day.  This was in March of 2011.  Still on 15 mg of pred.  i tried to do it every other day just did not work, accidents at night and lots of b/m's.  so i am still on 15 every day, i also take humira every other week with lots of over the counter vitamins.   I know pred. is hard on the bone density.  I had a bone density test about 3 months ago and every thing came back normal.  The question i have is is it ok to be on a low dose of pred for a long periods of time?  I do blood work about every other month, with good results.  

Have not seen my gi doc for over a yr.  No reason to i have been feeling good.  Actually i am afraid to see him because of the pred useage.  Gi  doc's don't like that drug.   Me i love it.  pred usually puts weight on a person,  for me no weight gain, sure could use it.  no moon face, anymore that is. 

  Thanks for listening to me. 

Philosphy in life  Live for today.  Treat people the way you want to be treated.  bw.  

  

I did several courses of Prednisone in a years time approx 3 years ago and in October was diagnosed with steroid induced avascular necrosis (AVN) in my left knee. I had surgery ( decompressed the bone and got a bone graft) on Oct 21 and during my recovery from that surgery, AVN was discovered in my right knee also. I have to have surgery on the right knee as soon as I recover, maybe in as long as 6 months from now, depending on how fast or even IF I heal. If the surgery does not work ( less than 50/50 chance) I will have to have knee replacements. My Dr. as advised me I can never return to work in my profession, Paramedic and to prepare myself for the future if I have to have knee replacements because to replace knee's due to AVN (avascular necrosis) they have to take out a lot of bone during the surgery and when it comes time for a revision, I will be left with severe arthritis and pain for the rest of my life. All of this is caused from Prednisone.
Several years ago, I also thought Prednisone was harmless... until 3 years later and now I am facing a very disturbing future. To make matters worse, I still have to get MRI's of both shoulders as I am having pain there also so hopefully the AVN is not in those joints also.
I hope people can learn from what happened to me and find a safer replacement drug because Prednisone could be causing AVN and you not know it until the bone silently dies. You don't feel pain until it is near the point of collapse.
Take care!