Is there anyone else here that has never taken Prednisone?

Just curious. I have refused any attempts of taking Pred, and truthfully  when I told my doctor of my fears of why, he has never argued with me.

Have had UC for about 7 years now,(at times completely housebound) with a serious case of C Diff in between. I read more than one post, right here on this forum, that said it was the worst experience getting on and trying to get off this drug. 

I understand it has helped many...that is an individual decision. Who knows if one day I may say in desperation yes give me Pred.  But so far I haven never been tempted.

Anyone else that just said "no".

i'm saying no now - does that count ? 

Post Edited (soystud) : 4/22/2013 9:01:35 PM (GMT-6)

I haven't. Not yet.

As a counterpoint: I have taken it several times and I'm usually happy when I get to go on it because that means I will get into true remission for a while at least. I have never been forced to be on it truly long term and a normal 40mg with 5mg taper a week usually works.

Side effects:

More energy (very nice because I get so tired when I have a flare)

Hunger (I'm skinny and loses valuable weight so getting some back is nice)

Slightly blurred vision (Not something that affects me, just notice a slight difference)

Acne (This one is the biggest negative for me and I use several prescription creams when I'm on pred. I even used low dose Accutane even with the connection to UC. It helped a lot and did not affect me negatively). But I've been prone to acne in my youth even without pred.

Face get swollen but not that bad.

I don't notice a difference in mood more than I get happier as I get better.

That is generally it. I strength train and eat kalcium/vitamin d when I'm not flaring so I believe that protects me somewhat against it negatively affecting my bones and ligaments. I'd take these side effects in a heartbeat if it can give me my normal life back for a year instead of always having to plan it around the disease.

I think you can put me in the group. I had another autoimmune disease in the past which hasn't bothered me in years but I was on very high dose pred (started at 80 mgs) for that (didn't do a darn thing). It was very horrible and took forever to taper off. Since being diagnosed with UC 2 1/2 years ago I have not taken any pred for it and my doctor has never brought it up. I think he too believes it is nothing but a short term solution and therefore pretty worthless because it only works while you are on it but not after tapering off (unless maintanence drugs can keep you in remission). Now I did take a Medrol dose pack (6 days of prednisone) for bad heel pain about six months ago and sure enough, I was almost at remission at day #6 but soon relapsed after tapering off (even while taking maintanence drugs). I also refuse to take immunmodulators and biologics because they too only work while you are taking them, never being able to get off, and in a constant state of immunesuppression. Not a good thing for a person with no spleen.

13 years and no doctor ever Rx'ed prednisone for me even though I had horrible symptoms and at one point was anemic due to blood loss (combo of UC and fibroid).

I did however take a short course of Entocort, the site specific steroid (they say) . I felt like WonderWoman with energy but in the end (haha) nothing changed for me. My doc was trying to get the 6mp to work for me at that time, I think, but it never did work.

never taken it , never offered it.

I have had colitis for 22years and was perscribed it once and it was mentioned many times and I refuse to take it.

The only meds that I have been on is Salofalk then mezavant and enemas(salofalk, hycort, cortifoam) currently back on Salofalk tablets.