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Prednisone Amazing!

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Posted 10/18/2014 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I had my 2nd C'scope yesterday and I was so inflamed she couldn't get past sigmoid, she gave me 40 mg Prednisone once a day at breakfast, and then I'll see her to review pathology from scope and discuss treatment next Friday.

Within a few hours of my first dose I felt better than I have in a year--completely AMAZING!! I know steroids are tricky and I don't want to continue on Pred for very long. But I can't believe how good it feels not to hurt! I know I'm just on them to reduce inflammation while I begin a course of treatment, but I am astonished and I can see how some wouldn't want to go off them.

Tell me your love/hate story re: Prednisone? What's your advice to a newbie?
Posted 10/18/2014 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
It is very rare to work within hours. Usually 2-4 days to a week. Maybe some of the relief you feel is an after-affect of the prep.

people who have to use long term are generally at a low daily dose like 10mg or 15mg.

I still had anxiety, some memory problems, and sleep disruption. I escaped bone damage. It is likely that pred contributed to making my diabetes a lot worse. I did get a little paranoid too, but it was mild.
Posted 10/18/2014 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
I would also be surprised to find the pred working after 1 dose. You have to give a few days. For some pred is amazing. For some not so much. Give it a chance to see how it works with your body. You may or may not change your mind depending on the side effects. I felt great on it because not only did it get rid of my flare, but I didn't have horrible side effects and I had phenomenal energy. However, I seemed to fare better than most when it comes to side effects. Let it do its thing and get off it as soon as possible. I'm also hoping you are on some other med(s) beside the pred. You need to be having a plan in place for maintenance medication.
Posted 10/18/2014 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, RockerGirl, I see my GI for follow up on Friday for a plan to taper and additional meds.

And yes DB I was wondering if it was the colon "cleanse" combined with still feeling loopy from the anesthetic. But today even though bloody symptoms still here, I have good energy and mood...it's a little bizarre.
Posted 10/18/2014 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
pred effects EVERYONE differently - not surprised that you felt better so quickly - enjoy the ride and keep it as short as possible - it can lead to ugly just as quick -

good luck z girl !
Posted 10/18/2014 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
Echoing the advice to be on pred for as short a time as is necessary, but also to follow instructions to taper slowly especially under 10 mg.
Glad you are doing better!
Posted 10/18/2014 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone amazing...yes.
Really, really bad for your body.....double yes.

Make sure your doctor uses it for you sparingly.
Posted 10/18/2014 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
My experience of steroids has been that they kicked in within hours as well. It was virtually instantaneous remission on 40mg, at least for my first few courses. However, the effect wore off very fast once I started tapering; the symptoms came creeping back. From 2005-11 I took about one course of steroids a year on average. In September 2011 I had a massive flare-up which hospitalised me. (This was in spite of being on Remicade!) It's a long story, but the hospital messed up by treating the flare-up as a bacterial infection and withdrawing IV steroids: I was discharged and back in hospital again a few days later. This time they kept me on the IV steroids.

After that episode, I became unable to come off steroids without relapsing again almost straight away. And these were relapses which required hospitalisation and (yet more) steroids. I put with this for about a year and a half, then had surgery. No other meds had worked and there was no other way of getting off Pred; I was tired and scared of the long-term side effects.

So yeah, Pred can be a miracle drug, but it's also extremely deceptive. You may feel great, but underneath nothing has changed at all. Don't take a course of oral steroids more than once every 2-3 years; if you need 'em more often than that, re-evaluate your treatment plan. Try to find a maintenance medication which works and stay on it for the long term.

Good luck.
Posted 10/18/2014 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
the energy from pred can easily begin with the 1st dose and start within hours. Significant amount of inflammation reduction usually takes longer.

Make sure you are checked for anemia if your energy is always low
Posted 10/18/2014 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
pred is awesome for flares. lessens the pain and cramping within a day for me but also causes a ton of problems. trying to get off of it is a different story and it makes your body go insane.
Posted 10/19/2014 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
That's interesting NCOT

I was the very same as you - 40/mg daily and it was like instant relief. One or two courses a year type thing as well. I would actually go to the pharmacy, take my 8 tablets then stop and eat well, just about everything I could find. A full on feast, cause I knew how fast it would kick in.

It was like that for years without fail until last year when I landed in a horrible flare - Pred still worked but took a long time to kick in. The pain from bm's went away fast but symptoms remained for quite a while and I had to watch my diet.

It's a love/hate relationship with that drug. Energy vs. side effects.

@zengrll You'll be amazed how perfectly spotless and clean your house looks by next week. Chances are pretty good you might even paint the place from top to bottom as well, haha.
Posted 10/19/2014 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
Not looking forward to the taper, will try to taper as soon as GI thinks wise, and pay special attention to careful tapering at or under 10 mg. THANK YOU ALL. all I know is on day 2 of 40 mg, I feel soooo much better, but I've been very very ill for 4 months. When you're used to getting hit by a hammer and one day the hammer doesn't fall, well, it's better and better is better.

I can't believe this is happening, and how much suffering all of you have been through with this horrible disease. I'll be on the lookout for weird reactions on this steroid. Already today noticed what a short fuse I have. But at least I can leave the house and get things done, like buy extra underwear LOL. Man, it's going to be a ride!
Posted 10/19/2014 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you are feeling better. Do make sure that those closest to you are aware of the mental health side effects of pred so they can help keep you safe and not get offended if you act differently to how they expect :-)
Posted 10/20/2014 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Too funny Canada! I just finished dusting every door jamb and window sill in the house, cleaning all the top shelves down with wet rags and looking for more to do!!! Yikes!!! I just finished moving so I moved into a clean apartment but I'm going crazy cleaning.

AND i just in the last day ate 3 full meals, unheard of, big ones too and no suffering. And I'm still hungry! But going to bed if i can stop friggin' CLEANING
Posted 10/20/2014 11:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hello

Zengrill i'm happy you have found some relief.

I to am fairly new to this site Zengrll and recently did my first course of pred which lasted 3mnths. I started at 40mg for one week tapered 5mg a week until I got to 20mg stayed at this for two weeks and then tapered 5mg a week until I got to 5mg stayed at this for two weeks then 2.5mg for a week then finished.

40mg, feeling of complete euphoria all symptoms seemed to disappear on top of the world all though I was experiencing memory loss and found it hard to concentrate. I believe this is called brain fog.

35mg to 20mg did get a little angry at times but tried to keep a lid on things as I realized it was the pred after talking to people on this site but on the whole didn't feel to bad a little tired at times.

20mg to 10mg Now this is where you need to take care. I think I tapered to fast I started to feel a little down in myself as a I got to 15mg things still ok but stools not looking as good as before.

10mg to finish I was all over the place mentally think a 1mg taper a week would have been better. symptoms loose stools some times a bit of D.

The week I finished I was due to go away with my wife whom has been so supportive over the last few months. Total chaos mentally massive mood swings could not control my anger, never violent, but sudden outburst just felt really annoyed and Angry for a whole week or so needless to say I did not go away but stayed at home. Symptoms wise I have no urgency or cramps or blood but have gone back to watery stools again.

Spoke to a new IBD nurse who has now got me doing pred enemas twice a day have been doing this for four weeks now along with taking ASACOL 4.8mg daily as I have been for the whole of the time I was on pred now back to loose stools.

Not sure how bad your colitis is, I have moderate pan colitis. Every bodys journey will be different I hope your goes really well.

But please be aware that this feeling of euphoria may not last and you may have days where you feel very tired and a little annoyed with the silliest of things.

If this does happen please just Rember thats it is only the Pred.

Good luck and its nice to hear that today you feel good
Posted 10/20/2014 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
I always got relief within 8 hours of my first dose.

Osteoporosis
AVN in my shoulder
Cataract
Type II diabetes

These are the ones that I carry still after no steroids in the past 8 years.
Posted 10/20/2014 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
Be advised that the next time you get a regimen of Prednisone, it will be less effective. Your body grows a tolerance to it.
Posted 10/20/2014 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
I do not like taking prednisone. Actually I cried that last time it was prescribed.

It has gotten less and less effective each time I've taken it. That makes it worse. I still have all the side effects, but less benefit. I do not like the side effects. Prednisone makes me really tired. As in I will lay in bed all day and not even eat I'm so tired. It is horrible. And the moon face. I hate the moon face because I'm really vain.

While on prednisone I would suggest- exercising as much as you can, drink a lot of fluids, and ask your doctor about taking a calcium supplement.
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