HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

IS IT ENOUGH?

Support Forums
>
Lupus
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/24/2008 12:50 PM (GMT 0)
Okay all...I'm normally over at the Breast Cancer Forum but I have a question for anyone...

My dad has lupus and has had it for years...in October he went in to get hip surgery done and they lowered his prednisone to 2.5!!!...He had not yet had to take a large dose normally 7.5 but even though he's blah...anyhow after the surgery he went back for his recheck and told the Dr. he'd like to up that again...she told him she wanted him to STAY ON 2.5...!!!...I'm not very happy with this decision, our family has been though alot the last few years we lost my mother of breast cancer (and his wife) and he's been having a difficult time just in "dealing" with everyday life...

He's been to this Dr. for years and likes her every much - very good Dr...but I'm wondering why can't he just be boosted back up to where he was...???...things aren't gonna get better and I know if effects the bones - which is why he had to have surgery - but WHY can't he have more...???...it's so little I think...I just dont get it...

Frustrated...!!!...But I do "Have Faith"

Thanks

Christa

 

Posted 1/24/2008 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Christa,

 

It's important for the body to be on as little prednisone as possible for any surgery.  Decreases the risk of infection.  HOWEVER, once the surgery is over and he's in a stable state and recovering nicely, his prednisone should be increased to DOUBLE his normal dose.  This will keep him from going into a lupus flare up.

 

So yes, you are wise to think this is not a good plan for him.  I would talk to his rheumatologist about all this and make sure that once he's past the critical stages of the surgery, he should be boosted to a theraputic level.  If he was on 7.5 before, he should be taking about 15mg for a while, then taper very slowly back to his 7.5mg.

 

I'm not a doc!  But that is what has been told to me, if I were to ever need surgery of any kind. I hope this helps!

 

Ginny

Posted 1/24/2008 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Ginny . . . I deleted my post because yours made so much more sense and you are so much more knowing about pred. Thanks!!
Posted 1/24/2008 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
hi christa,
sorry to hear about your dad, but for me it's the exact opposite when i have any type of surgical procedure done, the doc's usually have me take 20mg of prednisone the of the procedure and then go back to 5mg the next day. but i dont understand why they would not put him back on his regular dose at all. that is very strange. i forgot the exact words that my doc said (sorry very bad brain fog) that i have to increase my prednisone because of the stress that my body would go through during the surgery and that the extra prednisone would help because my body wouldnt be able to make the cortisone that i would need, and that most people would make during surgery. but ginny is very right you should talk to his doc and have her explain to you why she wants your dad to lower his dose and tell her if he is having any problems with the lower dose.
Posted 1/24/2008 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for letting me know I'm not the crazy one here...!!!...lol...

I will give her a call and let her explain this more so to me...I've heard there are alot of people of a much larger dose...I can understand waitin from the surgery but I do hope he can have this upped a little...

I never knew much about Lupus until mom was gettin worse with her cancer and at that time I was with ehr and all my thoughts were with her too...it's time for me to learn more and understand since she is no longer here and he does tend to forget things...

Thanks Again

I truly appreciate your input...

Christa

 

Posted 1/25/2008 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Christa . . . Lupus is certainly a BIG subject. I think that's why it is so little understood. Most of us have family members who know little or nothing about it. Its just a huge subject. But you learning the basics will be very helpful to your dad . . . good for you!! Most people can't tell that we are hurting or sick just by looking at us. We get very good at hiding our pain and our illness because it gets old when you are sick all the time. Be sure to pop back and ask questions whenever you need to and give your dad a big hug from all his friends at the lupus forum!! Blessings!
Posted 1/25/2008 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I would ask if he had a steroid injection the day of his surgery. Often the anastesiologist (I butchered it) will give a steroid injection via IV before surgery. Is he on any other meds? If he isn't you need to ask why she isn't treating him with a few of the other options. If he is that may be why she lowered his prednisone, she may be trying to get him off of it completely to try and spare his bones more damage than has already occured.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply