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Need advice on Pred taper..

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/21/2013 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on 35+ pred for 2 months now. Finally, after a scope and starting Imuran at 75mg 2 weeks ago, I am at 30mg pred and Lialda also. I called the doc to ask if I could keep tapering 5mg a week. He said I could if I felt like I was ok. The only sign of UC I have is that my stools are about only 65% formed and are a light green/gray (mucous) and smell horrible. I have other things going on that I think is due to the pred (fatigue/extreme bloating). I don't think the pred is going to help anymore than it has. Just wanted to see if ya'll think I should just finish out the taper. Hopefully by the time I am into the sub 20 mg the Imuran will be kicking in really good and finish up the healing.
Posted 6/21/2013 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
I support you getting off of prednisone. 5 mg a week is a reasonable taper. If you start bleeding again you could add hydrocortisone enemas or slow the taper even further. By the end of a taper I go VERY slowly, because the tail end is when my body starts to rebel against having its addiction taken away.

The last few weeks of a taper look like this for me (amts in mg):

5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5, 2.5, 5, 2.5, 5, 2.5, 5,
2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5,
2.5, 0, 2.5, 0, 2.5, 0, 2.5
0, 0, 2.5, 0, 0, 2.5, 0
0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

Wish I could do it another way, but this seems to be what my body likes.
Posted 6/22/2013 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks.. I'm going to keep tapering. I have to get off this stuff. I have to ask one more question that has been bothering me a lot. I have been very "zoned out" lately. For instance, when I'm face to face in a conversation, it's all I can do to follow along and pay attention. When I get home from work, I chill on the couch and kinda just stare at the tv. I have become very anti-social. Is this pred?? I'm usually not like this
Posted 6/22/2013 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Your symptoms sound like my flares. Prednisone causes me to everything but zone out! While on Pred, I can handle multitask and handle anything! Hope you feel better soon!
Posted 6/22/2013 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
At first, pred wires me up like crazy, but then I do crash & burn. For me, mornings are really hard -- and that's weird because I'm a morning person. But in the last couple of weeks, it has become increasingly difficult for me to get up & dressed & out of the house. And I do blame prednisone.
Posted 6/22/2013 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
I can't tell if its pred or flare. Pred made me very up and wired the first flare. This time is so different.
Posted 6/22/2013 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
Just take it slow. I tapered from 40 to 30 and then to 20mg on Pred. The drop to 20 did not work well so I am back up at 30 and will be tapering to 25 next. That sucks since it means many more weeks on Pred for me. I was going to slow the taper after 20 to 15/10/7.5/5/2.5/ 2.5(everyother day)/0 still the plan but thie setback sucks
Posted 6/22/2013 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
I'm worried I will finish up the pred before the imuran kicks in. But I have been on pred way too long.
Posted 6/22/2013 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
The alternating taper as Janey suggested is one you should consider...especially if you've been regressing once you've dropped a dose.

q
Posted 6/23/2013 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Is it the pred or flare causing my protruding stomach? I hate it because I'm fairly thin and usually am at my apartment pool all summer and haven't been once this year because of it. It's embarrassing.
Posted 6/23/2013 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Could be both. Have you gained wait anywhere else?

q
Posted 6/23/2013 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
Other than my face, no. It's protruding out like I'm massively constipated. When I go to bm it's mostly gas. Lots of it. And when I do bm it's 70% formed and a lot of times a light green/gray. Smells like ammonia
Posted 6/23/2013 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds as though you could have a bacterial thing happening as well. Maybe ask your doc to do a stool sample test again.

Are you on probiotics?

The constipation could also be you healing...and that comes with the territory with limited rectal inflammation.

Rectal meds....you should ask about them....suppositories at the very least.

Are you using any fibre supplements?

q
Posted 6/23/2013 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
No probiotics or anything else :/. I'm having trouble keeping track of all the crap I'm on now. Gonna call the doc tomorrow and try to be more proactive about this.
Posted 6/23/2013 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
You'll have to assess your "needs" vs "wants". Be realistic, and probiotics and fibre supplements have wayyyyy more benefits than you can imagine.

Oh, that and rectal meds...

Proactive is a good state to be in... subjectively... it's your future. In truth, I'd make it my life's goal to stay off pred. You have lots of wiggle room with available meds and regimens. that's a good thing.

Ask your doc for dicyclomine antispasmodic....and for sure stool sample kit.

keep us posted on your appointment for sure.

feel better soon.

q
Posted 6/24/2013 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
Reality-check. Imuran takes a lot more time than 2 weeks to work, try several months at minimum, possibly longer. So why are you tapering so soon again? You might have trouble getting off pred if you don't wait long enough for the Imuran to build up in your body. You'll just end up showing signs of a flare again, then starting all over again on a higher dose of pred, if your body isn't healed enough to get off from it.

I've been on pred a long time (since Jan 2013), and it most certainly isn't the horror show people make it up to be.
Posted 6/24/2013 12:47 PM (GMT 0)
"I've been on pred a long time (since Jan 2013), and it most certainly isn't the horror show people make it up to be"

you really think you wanna make the statement on this forum that people "make up" horror stories about the effects of pred ?
Posted 6/24/2013 12:54 PM (GMT 0)

soystud said...
you really think you wanna make the statement on this forum that people "make up" horror stories about the effects of pred ?

Lol I never said people make up the effects of pred. Rather, I think people fear the drug when used in very short durations far more than is ever warranted to fear. I mean pred is like the boogeyman on here or something haha.
Posted 6/24/2013 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
I see where iPoop is coming from, other than some trouble sleeping and a bit of forehead acne, predinose has been a godsend for me. I couldn't get out of bed due to my joint pain and after starting at 60mg I have worked down to 7.5 while upping my Aza and sticking with Lialda.
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