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Can I refuse prednisone?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/26/2015 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
So it seems that I am in the start of a flare after a few months of remission. I am seeing a small amount of blood and mucus. Hooray!

I am terrified that my doctor is going to put me on prednisone. I was on it all summer and surely don't want to repeat that. Can I say no to it and suggest that we move to something else? I am currently on 4 lialda a day.
Posted 1/26/2015 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Certainly you can refuse. I've never been on Pred in all of my 22 years. I controlled mine thru rectal meds including a steroid enema - it doesn't have nearly as much systemic steroid as oral.
Posted 1/26/2015 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
Absolutely you can refuse it. Are you still on the Canasa? You should always be taking some kind of rectal med since you have proctitis. Steriod enema or suppository temporarily but mesalamine suppository or enemas after that.
Posted 1/26/2015 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
I am no longer on Canasa. I was taken off of that and put on pred and lialda during my blow up (beyond a flare up) in June. In the hospital, they gave me some cortifoam to use though and I was on that for about 3 weeks from June-July.

I still have the bottle though and have been using it now for a few days (stupidly without checking with my doctor). It has not been helping. I now have a phone call in and am waiting t hear back from him. Maybe he will just suggest continuing the cortifoam?

I am so depressed because my husband and I were going to start trying for a baby this month now that I had been in remission for awhile. I feel like this is ruining my life.
Posted 1/26/2015 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with each of the statements above. It is worth a try to increase recitals. If things would get worse you could always add the prednisone. Have you tried probiotics?
Posted 1/27/2015 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
You could try Uceris / Budesonide? Is a steriod but not the side affects.
Posted 1/27/2015 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
You can refuse the pred if you want or you could take a short one month course and be off. You don't have to be on it for months. You do need more rectal meds and you need to stay on them FOREVER to some degree, such as once or twice a week during remission. Don't ever stop unless you want to wind up back where you are all over again.
Posted 1/27/2015 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all of the advice. You all rock! I'm really hoping that my doctor doesn't view my symptoms as "extreme" enough yet for prednisone. I'm not having D and it's just a tiny bit of blood and mucus. So far, stools are still normal (aside from the bit of blood and mucus).
Posted 1/27/2015 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Rather than prednisone, consider a steroid enema or suppository. They offer much less side effects vthan prednisone. Good luck,
Posted 1/27/2015 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
You can refuse any medical treatment as far as I'm aware. It's your body and you should have the final say what is done to it.

Your doctor should be able to sit down with you and discuss alternatives, many of the things suggested above seem like good ideas.
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