HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Prednisone?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/28/2019 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
Goodmorning Guys,

So I need to make an important decision and need some help! I am currently experiencing an active flare. I started to notice symptoms on June 1st. My stool was formed but I still saw the presence of mucus and blood. By the time I decided to see my doctor on June 17th my stool was somewhat loose, had blood, and I was experiencing some cramping. I scheduled a colonoscopy for July 11th because it was his earliest availability. Starting on June 22nd my symptoms started to get progressively worse. I was experiencing abdominal pain, my stool turned into diarrhea, there was a lot of blood, and I was going to the bathroom 6-7 times a day. I've missed work this entire week and I kept my doctor/nurse up to date with my symptoms. He decided to move up the colonoscopy for this upcoming Tuesday due to the severity of my symptoms. We ruled out c diff and parasites so I'm pretty sure it's just my UC flaring up. I currently take Apriso, probiotics, & a lot of supplements. My Nurse called me yesterday and said that he would like me to get started on Prednisone 40mg. I've only taken prednisone once in my almost 5 years of being diagnosed. I remember being really scared to take it due to the extensive possible side effects. She also told me I could start on Canasa Suppository which help me tremendously last time I flared up.
I started to feel a little bit better yesterday and was experiencing less blood in my stool (hadn't taken prednisone yet). I decided to hold off on the prednisone and I just did the suppository last night. I woke up this morning still with mild cramping, diarrhea, & blood in my stool. I knew the suppository wouldn't be a magical one day fix but I feel if I continue using it throughout the weekend I might see improvement.

Do you guys think I should start on the prednisone?? I know once you start you have to taper off for a month at least that's how I did it last time. I'm really hesitant to try new medication. It gives me a lot of anxiety.
Posted 6/28/2019 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear you're flaring. Yes, I would take the prednisone with 6-7 bms a day and blood, which is a moderate to slightly severe flare. It should give you some pretty quick relief, and they'll still be able to see inflammation on Tuesday when they do the colonoscopy.

While things like buedisonide/uceris/entocort ec might be tempting due to less side effects then pred, I am betting your flare is too severe for anything but pred.

Yes, continuing to take canasa makes sense, it is helping just not going to be miraculous within 24-hours, as mesalamine is a lot slower acting than steroids are.
Posted 6/28/2019 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
I highly doubt the suppositories are going to get you out of a flare. They did nothing for me. Have you tried mesalamine enemas or steroid enemas? Your flare sounds pretty mild to me, compared to my flare symptoms. I wouldn't be scared of the prednisone, but at the same time, if you start on pred now, then your doctor isn't going to see the full extent of what's going on when he does the scope. However, it sounds like he isn't worried about that. My doc did a scope on me last summer when I was on pred and I didn't really understand why, but I'm not a doctor so I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Lol.
Posted 6/28/2019 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sara thanks for your response!

I was hopeful about the suppositories only because they helped me with a flare I had last year. I didn't have to take prednisone, I was only on the suppository and apriso and I managed to get my flare under control within two months. Sounds like a long time but my symptoms were manageable

I haven't looked into Mesalamine enemas, do you mind sharing any information that you have on this medication. I really don't want to start bologics which I feel my doctor is going to suggest after the colonscopy.
Posted 6/28/2019 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Normally you would only start biologics if prednisone isn't enough to get your flare under control
Posted 6/28/2019 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
Weird! Last year when I was flaring up my doctor suggested that I start biologics after he performed a colonoscopy. I wasn't even on prednisone at that point. My symptoms were manageable at the time and I told him we could revisit the idea when I return from a two week vacation. I had already bought my ticket months in advance and didn't want to cancel the flight. Like I said before, I was only on Apriso and Canasa n I was able to go back into remission for exactly a year.
Posted 7/1/2019 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hey there,
It's totally normal to be worried about any new medication--they all have side effects. I feel like many of us, including myself, are prednisone pros at this point. In 2018 I was on it for almost 6 months (40mg tapers down to 20 back up to 40 etc.). My side effects included bigger cheeks, red face, and crazy acne on my back. However, at a point, you have to say, do I want big cheeks or do I want to be going to the bathroom 8x/day? It all sucks, for sure, and even now I'm back on Prednisone but the goal is to have no blood, no diarrhea, life back on track. While there's possibility of side effects (with everything), the benefit is bigger than the risk.
Posted 7/1/2019 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi David,

Thank you for the response!! Always means a lot to hear someone else's input. I did decided to go on it yesterday. Today has been an okay day. I went to the bathroom twice at around 6am. I took the prednisone at 9am and didn't go till the bathroom till 8:30pm which is a major improvement. The stool was still bloody and loose but it's only been two days. Last time I took the medication was two years ago when I had c diff and an active flare. I was on antibiotics and prednisone so it's hard to tell what really got my symptoms under control, maybe both. Within a month and half my stool returned back to normal. I am really hoping that I don't have to take it for more than two months.
Posted 7/1/2019 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
No problem! I agree, just hearing and sharing experiences is part of the road to remission. That's why I'm sitting on this blog right now haha. Good for you that you went for it! Again, it all can be scary but you just have to keep your eye on the prize. It's awesome you're already feeling better. And also, if things don't completely improve immediately, don't worry about that either. Sometimes it takes time and everyone's body is different. Hang in there you're doing great! smile
Posted 7/7/2019 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone has a lot of side effects. Knowing what I know now, I would start with Remicade over prednisone any day, preferably in conjunction with something like Imuran to minimize the potential for developing antibodies.
Posted 7/7/2019 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
I started the Prednisone last week. My symptoms drastically improved over night. I am going to the bathroom once a day and finally have control over my life. Ofc, I am not happy to be back on this medication, and I hope that I can start tappering down. The last time I was on it was over two years and had very few noticeable side effects (insomnia, moon face, and gained some weight).

I am worried to go on Biologics because of the side effects. I had a colonoscopy this past Tuesday and my doctor confirmed that my colon was about 3/4s inflamed. He said it wasn’t severe but it wasn’t mild either. I have an appointment with him tomorrow to talk about “a new treatment.” I am nervous and don’t know what questions to really ask. If anyone has any advice?

Should I move forward with the Biologics? I am only 23 and the thought of starting a medication like this scares me.
Posted 7/8/2019 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, you should start biologics. I started remicade about 7 years ago, it was a total game changer for me. Been stable with only minor blips since. No side effects either.

Everyone is initially a little scared when considering a new treatment. There's a lot of unjustified fear around biologics, but the worst side effects occurring in 0.06% of patients. The majority of patients do not experience side effects from biologics, and 65% have his/her UC symptoms improve. So the benefit far outweighs the risks. Here's a good link from The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation that goes over the risks and benefits in greater detail, and a good read that helped me greatly when initially considering these meds.

https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/pdfs/risk-and-benefits-transcript.pdf
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply