Should I bite the bullet with Prednisone?

Prednisone is the only drug that has ever really helped my UC. Long term side effects are not good, but a short course isn't bad for me.

hold on, are you saying the taper schedule goes from 60mg to 20mg? if so, that's really dangerous...

the taper schedule shouldn't be nearly that aggressive

Expect the pred to help you short term. Expect yourself to be back to right where you are now about a month later. It buys you a month of time, don't expect anymore.

It's a tapered course over 14 days... it's not dangerous, it's one way to prescribe a short burst of a steroid.

your doctor obviously doesn't want you to be on a long course of pred...he's hoping it'll give it a kick-start into healing.

I'd suggest you maybe stay on the Rowasa nightly and then add the steroid enema back after the pred taper pack.

I'm one who says I'd never go on pred (for long course as commonly prescribed by docs), but I might consider a fast taper if things weren't being controlled, or for another issue such as poison ivy, etc.

 

Keep us posted.

q

What are you waiting for pred is cheap ?

Get healthy then lose the blubber.

Prednisone has upsides I get a TON of things done work/home.

If changing your diet has not helped what choice do you have ?

I will start tomorrow. Does anyone know if Ultimate Flora probiotic 50 billion helps. The probiotics I am on now is only 5 billion and does nothing.

PSUDOC said...
You shouldn't be tapering to 20 and stopping ... a true taper will go down to 5 or even 2.5.

Echoing another poster - Pred is super cheap, and it usually works quickly for most people. The problem is that you typically use it to get you in better shape while you begin another kind of long term maintenance drug. Otherwise, you are likely to flare again shortly after you go off the Pred, and then each Pred taper becomes progressively longer and more difficult ...

If its short-term like the OP outlined then the adrenals wont yet be in hibernation. This could also result in a flare rebound so if it does rebound then just do the normal longer course and slower taper and I have a protocol for a soft landing that worked great the last 2 times - hopefully they truly were the last two times.

3dognight said...
I will start tomorrow. Does anyone know if Ultimate Flora probiotic 50 billion helps. The probiotics I am on now is only 5 billion and does nothing.

this is the first time i've heard of such a fast taper, i was always told / under the assumption that a quick taper could produce adrenal issues, and also wouldn't be very effective at inducing remission.

as for probiotics, a lot of member around here are on a variant of VSL#3. i personally take VSL#3DS but while i think it does help, it's not something that on its own keeps me in remission

My GI told me 10 days or less, no taper necessary. I did 10 days at 40mg and stopped no problem. However, he did start me on Uceris on day nine of the pred, so not sure how that factors in to my coming off the pred, but I did not have any problems except some mild anxiety in the mornings for a few days after stopping.

Im on it now for the first time, after living with a flare without it for almost 2 YEARS....

Its helping the GI issues no doubt.

Im definitely feeling the bloat now almost 3 weeks in (Im tapering today and yesterday at 35 from 40). It has given me acne on my shoulders, which is just lovely.

So far, for me it has been worth it. No one can tell what it will do for you, or to you.

One thing is for sure, having ulcers in your guts is pretty f---ing bad.

I will say this-- take the whole 40 mg on a full stomach first thing, or 2 at breakfast and 2 at early lunch also with food... It is like a rush (for me anyway) and can keep you up at night.

Good luck, and hope for a good fast taper. Im taking with probiotics (starting today I hope)... Hope that helps the skin.

with pred, a strong blast is the way to go, then taper down and get the hell off it.