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Questions for those who have had good results with Pred.

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/9/2009 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
There is much posted on here about the flare returning as soon as the Pred gets tapered to a certain point.  Some have a terrible time getting off at all.

Not to mention the terrible side effects.

So, on the other side of the coin, is there any of you who have gone on pred, it put you in remission without a hard time coming off, and stayed in remission for a long time?

I would like to hear positive side of this medicine before even considering using it, but it's hard to find that anywhere.

Thanks in advance.

Posted 6/9/2009 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
The last time I was put on pred for a mild flare, I was started at a moderate dose and quickly tapered. The positive results were pretty much immediate. I had no problems getting off and no side effects. However, I attribute that ease to all of the other supportive things I do to manage my gut health.
Posted 6/9/2009 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I can't say that I've been in remission for a long time, since I just got there in early May, but so far, so good!

I was put on pred the day before St. Patrick's Day (I remember b/c we had an office potluck on St. Patrick's Day itself) after struggling to get out of a flare. I was almost there using Asacol and Rowasa, then I got a tummy bug that threw me back into it. I wasn't as bad as I was before I was diagnosed, but I was having 8-ish urgent BM's (diarrhea) per day. My doc and I both decided I'd been sick for long enough.

I did a pretty unconventional course of pred and a lot of people on here disagreed with what my doc prescribed, but it worked for me. He hates having to prescribe it and I really wanted to avoid it, which is why we did such a quick course. I took 40mg for five days, 30mg for five days, 20mg for five days, 15mg for five days, 10mg for a little over a week (waiting to see my GI to discuss the next step), then 10mg every other day for a couple of weeks (I think) while I was waiting to get through a job interview.

I noticed a BIG change the day after I started taking it (# of BMs cut in half) and by the second day, I was down to 1-2 formed, non-urgent BM's day. During the time I was taking 10mg every other day, I got food poisoning, which set me back a tiny bit. I was having pretty loose stools (not really diarrhea, but not that formed, either) and they were a little bit urgent. I think I got that back under control by eating avocado, but who really knows?

Anyway, I've been off pred since April 27th and am doing quite well. I'm eating anything that I want and am only having 2 non-urgent formed BMs/day.

I didn't have too much trouble with side effects, either. I slept like a rock the entire time I was on it, and nobody told me I was moody or irrational. I did have a little bit of moonface (which looked good on me b/c I'd lost a lot of weight and had really hollw cheeks) and some munchies, but overall, I was ok.
Posted 6/9/2009 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
The 2 times that I have been on pred I have went into remission. The first time I took pred I had no side effects. The second time I got quite a few side effects. BUT I have been in remission since taking it. I was on it for 4 weeks each time.
Posted 6/9/2009 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
I started a dose of Pred on May 22nd to get out of a pretty bad flare and also to help while my 6mp kicks in.  Pred is my life safer (I hate to say it), it's the only med that really makes me feel somewhat normal.  I only have 1-2 non urgent BM's a day while on Pred.  By the time my current taper is donw I'll only have a few weeks left to see if the 6mp kicks in.

I dont really get the nasty side affects of pred...yet.

Posted 6/10/2009 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
I know I can depend on pred to get into remission quickly if I really need to. For a bad flare its a 6 week taper starting at 60mg, and I get remission the first week. Once I am in remission I usually stay there for 6 months to a year, whether or not I am good about taking the 5ASAs. The problem is that pred at those levels tends to make me psychotic, so if possible I try to avoid, delay, or at least reduce the dosage needed. My last flare in November got over without it, and my current flare I finally gave in, but I'm only using a 2 week taper starting at 20mg.
Posted 6/10/2009 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
I was diag with UC in Feb 09, since then I have had little improvement, I take one step forwards and two backwards.  I take 2-Asacol 3x day , just increase Imuran from 50mg to 100mg (started Imuran 4-30-09), took pred twice.  I am now reducing my pred start with 40mg for 7days, 30mg for 7day, 20mg for 7days, I am now down to 10mg for 7 days, and my bathroom trip are increasing.

It is nothing for me to go to the bathroom 30+ times a day, and have several accidents a day.

They tell me the Imuran may take several month to kick in, and I don't want to  increase the  pred, I want to continue to wean off  (I have severe leg pain & tiredness)

I want my life back, I want to stop wearing depends, and stop going to the bathroom (what feel like a million times  to the bathroom), I want to go place without fear of having an accident.

Any suggestions, I also take Prilosec and Metamucil 2-3x a day.

Or am I asking for to much.

Posted 6/10/2009 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone was definitely beneficial to me once it began working (I had to be hospitalized and fed IV steroids for a few days before it had a positive effect). I have now been off for two or three months with no problems. I suspect, however, that my current success has more to do with other things I have employed to stay healthy, as opposed to any long term benefit of prednisone itself.
Posted 6/11/2009 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
I've used prednisone to control flares for a long, long time. Intervals of every six months to two years or so, for a couple of months at a time. It would always work.

The side effects were uncomfortable, but I've had no lasting effects that I can tell.
My bone density is really good.

I was never completely in remission, until I used Remicade.
Posted 6/11/2009 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
It works wonderfully for me - it is the only thing that does. I can't keep in remission without it for long. I go on it when I go on vacation or when I need to be normal. I gain wait but if you watch your salt then you can do it without gaining. I get a moonface also but it is hard to eat healthy when it is the only time I can enjoy food:) I am getting a dexa scan tommorow to see if I have lost any bone density and I will post if I have. That is really my main concern.
Posted 6/11/2009 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Always loved being on prednisone because I could eat what I want, but I always worried about the Cushingoid symptoms that went along with it(buffalo hump, salt retention, moon face, high blood pressure, face heart rate, osteoporosis). With my last flare, I refused to take it and went into remission without meds.
Posted 6/13/2009 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone worked beautifully for me. I have next to no side effects that I can tell (obvioulsy, bone density is not something I can tell without tests). No aches or pains or anything. There were some times I had insomnia but other than that, not much.

I am trying to get off of it now. I tried a month or two ago but I started feeling iffy at 9mg and I had my brother's wedding coming up so I couldn't take any risks. Now that the wedding is over, I am trying to get off the Pred again to start the Colal-Pred study.
Posted 6/14/2009 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Pred usually works well for me... Coming off it, my UC symptoms come back with a vengence. I am at 2.5 to 5mg per day now...but started Imuran this time - on month 2 waiting for it to kick in...

Pred has gotten me out of some crappy situations....no pun intended.
Posted 6/16/2009 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Joylu, I just want to say Thank you for starting this thread. I can get myself so worked up reading about all of the negative side effects of the different medications we're all on. While I think it's important to be educated about the drugs and potential risks to be aware of, I really NEEDED to read that not everyone has a horrible experience with Pred. Myself, I took it for the first time during a flare about a year ago and experienced several negative effects that had me scared to use it again. After being in the hospital 3 weeks ago, I had no choice but to start back at a high dose, and I'm pleased to report that so far, so good! I've read that bodies respond to the Pred different ways on different occasions, so I'm staying positive! I have renewed energy, great focus, a positive outlook, my skin is clear, and haven't had a significant change in appetite or weight. And of course, the best side effect, no UC!!
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