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Prednisone: Do You Take It ??

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Posted 5/5/2019 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
If you are taking Prednisone as part of your PC treatment, how long have you been taking it and at what dose ? Have you had any side-effect problems you can attribute to taking this drug ? If so, what sort of side-effects ? Thanks !
Posted 5/5/2019 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone is nasty a drug. The side effects are terrible. I have never heard of it be used for PC.
Posted 5/5/2019 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone at 5mg 2x per day is part of both the Taxotere and Jevtana courses of chemo that I've been on since Oct 2017. (31 Taxotere cycles, 4 Jevtana)

I have not been off it during that time. I think I understand the reasons for it as described in all the chemo literature, and know that I will have to wean off it slowly as we have just done the last Jevtana.

I generally feel like crap all the time from the sum effects of the chemo, so I can't say that there is one or another side effect specifically from the prednisone.
Posted 5/5/2019 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone is regularly included in patients receiving Zytiga as well. I would say that prednisone does have serious side effects especially with higher doses. With prostate cancer, it is especially useful in advanced cases since it aids in decreasing pain and giving a sense of well-being. My father was on it and it was by far his favorite pill.

At low doses, side effects include:
1. Changes in skin texture
2. Increases in blood sugar (monitor and adjust diet)
3. Loss of potassium (monitor and replace if necessary)
4. Cushingoid affect characterized with facial swelling and some weight gain
5. Less likely side effect--decrease immune response
6. Difficulty sleeping (this occurs in a small number)
7. Bone loss (have your physician monitor for this if on for a prolonged period). Weight bearing exercise, calcium and vitamin D may help to reduce this effect. if on the drug long term, there are drugs that help prevent such as bisphosphanates.

Paul

It is a very useful drug for some but needs to be monitored and given at the lowest effective dose.

Post Edited (PDL17) : 5/5/2019 2:47:19 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/5/2019 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
My husband's been taking 10 mg. (5+5 2x a day) of prednisone since February, 2019 (3 mos.) along with Zytiga to treat his metastatic PCa. He's on his second round of Lupron, which he restarted in September, 2018. (Took it for 31 months after dx, off a year, then back on when PSA started to rise.) It's still early with the prednisone/Zytiga regime on top of the Lupron. He's doing okay, i.e. PSA has declined from 7 to 1.8 in three months, so that's good. He's tired a lot, probably due to interrupted sleep, something that began with Lupron. His aches and pains have diminished. His facial skin is somewhat mottled at times, so that's probably a side effect of one of the three drugs or all of them in combination. He did have a high blood pressure reading last visit to MassGeneral, but it's gone down since.
Posted 5/6/2019 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
I'm only taking 750 mg of zytiga and I take one 5 mg of prednisone. The reason you take prednisone with Zytiga is because Zytiga lowers blood levels of cortisol in many patients. So the prednisone is considered cortisol “replacement”, which can help reduce side effects from Zytiga treatment.
Posted 5/6/2019 2:38 AM (GMT 0)

Fairwind said...
If you are taking Prednisone as part of your PC treatment, how long have you been taking it and at what dose ? Have you had any side-effect problems you can attribute to taking this drug ? If so, what sort of side-effects ? Thanks !

I took it when I went through chemo was 10mg. I was weaned of it at about the 2 month mark after chemo ended. I am also taking it again at 10 mg with the Zytiga i take daily. I cannot say that I have noticed any side effects. My understanding is that it is to help reduce the side effects of the chemo and or Zytiga.

I have read the possible side effects but I had already had sleep issues due to Lupron to which was rectified by taking a sleep aid so if that was one I definitely would not notice it.

Mike
Posted 5/6/2019 9:49 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken it a few times not related to PC ( back pain). But was also given it after my LDR Brachy. It makes me very aggravated.
Posted 5/6/2019 11:05 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone is a potent steroid given to combat inflammation. One of it's primary side effects (in some of us) is a major rise in irritability and anger. I was on it for some time, quit due to those side effects, won't go back on it without really good reason to.

It likely affects your hypothalamus (which is also negatively affected by leuprolide chemo) as that is the primary seat of aggression and anger response.
Posted 5/7/2019 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
i have taken a lot of Prednisone....Due my Asthma and COPD and Pneumonia....
I was on high dose for a year, Took a year to wein off....I used to tak 100mg to 60mg at a time....
One side effect is Cataracts....
Posted 5/8/2019 3:05 AM (GMT 0)

MG0351 said...

One side effect is Cataracts....

Yes, I am developing them a lot faster than my eye surgeon expected.
Posted 5/8/2019 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
PDL17 has provided a good list of its effects. My wife was on 100mg following each infusion for NHL and in fact prednisone is the "P" in R-CHOP. Personally I was on 60mg daily when my sclerosing mesenteritis first appeared, and had to taper down over the following months to allow normal adrenal function to return prior to surgical excision of the mass. 40mg prednisone daily plus tamoxifen is standard palliative treatment for the lesser stages of SM or mesenteric panniculitis.
Posted 5/12/2019 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
I am on a prednisone taper for about 6 months now. Started at 30mg per day and now down to 5mg per day. I have an obscure condition of PMR or Poly Malaysia Rheumatica. It make ones muscles very stiff and painful so much so that movement is very difficult. Couldn't turn over in bed. Can't get up from the dinner table. Things like that. Prednisone took it all away or at least 80% of it after the very first pill! I started ADT, radiation and the prednisone all at the same time so it is difficult to know what side effects are from what. I gained about 20 lbs during these treatments. Now losing it at about 1 lb. or more a week by Atkins diet and 1 hr of exercise every day. Started to feel more normal about 2 months after the RT. I have decent energy now and can walk 2 miles a day or bicycle and work out at the gym. I helps immensely. I lust for sex in my mind but have no feeling for it down below in the now "Dead Zone". I never realized that sex was that important to me.
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