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More on prednisone....... sorry!!!!

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Lupus
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Posted 6/24/2010 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
confused  Ok, so I have a dilemma that I suspect is not unusual. I have these "flares" and then they just go away on their own. By the time I went to the doc, got my script, my joints feel fine. Of course, the weather has been good too aka. no rainshowers in the past few days.

So, my question is, can you take short courses of prednisone just to get you out of a flare? I know you have to taper and can't just quit. I will ask my doc about this but wanted to hear what some of you might do. This is strange to feel so sick and then have it go away like magic. I also have some sort of inflammatory bowel disease and often suspect the joints act up before or with the bowel issues. So, I took the prednisone to see how it would affect my inflammatory bowel disease.

Thanks so much to everyone who was kind enough to talk to me about the weight gain stuff. I am always full of questions and people are too kind here!!!! turn

Posted 6/24/2010 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
Generally, I've heard of prednisone either prescribed or not prescribed, rather than "spotty use" like you describe.

Prescribed dosages sometimes include permission or direction to go up/down a few mg as flares come/go. This doesn't usually happen until you've been on it a while and you and your doctor are pretty clear on the effect it will have.

I highly recommend taking the medication as prescribed. It is important that the doctors learn how your particular body and your particular illness respond. They will get invalid responses if you keep changing the dosage in the middle of what is essentially a 'testing' period for them.

Once you, and they, have that figured out, you can ask about varying dosage with flares. Variation should only be done under a Drs guidance. Prednisone affects how the adrenal glands function, and messing around with the dosage can 'cuase permanent adrenal damage if it's not done properly -- and 'properly' is different for each patient.

Cheers,
Posted 7/2/2010 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
RA not Lupus but my Rhuemy lets me keep a medrol dose pack to use as needed. I call her when I use it and she sends a script to replace it.
Posted 7/2/2010 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
Yes. I believe the medrol pack is what I was talking about. I have an apt next week, so we'll see what he says then. I am fine on the prednisone right now but don't want to stay on it forever b/c of the side effects on the bones etc.......
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