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Prednisone

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/20/2020 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
Well today was day 4, still same frequency wise but maybe a little less bleeding overall. I felt like I had a bit more energy. Thinking that day 5 will be better!
Posted 2/20/2020 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
At what point should I ask to bump up from 40 to 50mg? After a week? Frequency is down today, but still D with some blood.
Posted 2/20/2020 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
I was really hoping this was going to be a "I'm feeling so much better!" update. I would probably ask your doctor that and see what he says. I would wait at least a week. Sorry. sad
Posted 2/20/2020 6:50 PM (GMT 0)

Eph said...
My doc is REALLY hesitant to let me try Pred. All the mesalamine products are failing, as is Uceris. With a $6K high deductible plan, the bio's are not a financial option for me.

The drug company paid portion used to count towards our deductible (one infusion and it was met!) and it seems all the biologics have payment assistance. Usually it's $5 per infusion but I found that was usually waived.
Posted 2/20/2020 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Day 5 today, BMs cut in half, usually go 10x so far only 4x. However, when I do go it’s still D with some blood. Should I still count this as a positive response and just keep on with the 40mg dose? Had my blood drawn today and hgb dropped from 10.6 last Wednesday to 9.7 today. I started some iron supplements. Hopefully the bleeding will stop and I can start building back up. Thanks everyone! Kinda using this as my diary now I guess haha.
Posted 2/20/2020 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, a positive response. That's good for day 5. Expect continuing improvement in the days to come. Hang in there!
Posted 2/21/2020 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
I would say that's a good sign. I use Healingwell as a symptom diary of sorts at times, too. Lol.
Posted 2/21/2020 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
OP - be careful of the iron supps - they can have some negative side effects that won't help your situation - try to get your iron from food sources -

and give it time -
Posted 2/21/2020 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
Last night sucked, D with dripping blood. However, I just had a more formed poo with minimal bleeding this am a couple hours after my pred dose. I wonder if I should split the 40 into two doses, take second dose around 1600 and see if that helps with the evening?
Posted 2/21/2020 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
You can if you want. Seems unusual to me that it isn't working faster, especially since it's your first time on it.
Posted 2/21/2020 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Others are more knowledgeable than me so I’ll just offer this — I probably wouldn’t get a wink of sleep taking prednisone later in the day. I might be more inclined to discuss with your dr about upping your dose to 50 or 60.

Are you using enemas or steroid foam?
Posted 2/21/2020 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Sara could it be that it’s just a bad flare and I need maybe a week to see improvement? My last poo was reassuring, I hope it stays that way.

FG I’m on uceris foam which doesn’t seem to help. When I poo in the am after holding it in for a few hours there’s still some blood. I can’t do mesalamine enemas. I’ll ask to bump up the pred and try it all in the am to see if that improves things. Thank you all!!
Posted 2/21/2020 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I think it could just be that. I'm not a doctor, obviously, so only speaking from my personal experiences. I think most people can't sleep if they take it later in the day, but I felt like I slept better when I took it late at night. My sleep schedule was all messed up and I wake up a lot in the night, so last time I was taking it around 3 a.m. Didn't keep me up then. Felt like it kept me up more when I took it in the mornings.

They probably aren't going to want to bump your dose up unless it's been a week or two. Sorry it isn't working that great so far.
Posted 2/21/2020 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
It’ll be a week tomorrow. Can a 10mg bump make that much of a difference?
Posted 2/21/2020 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
It has for me. You probably don't want to go any higher than 50 mg. The side effects higher than that can get really bad.
Posted 2/21/2020 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
There are a couple of reasons why it is recommended to take Prednisone in the morning. One is because that is the normal time of day your body produces cortisol. The second is that it will likely keep you awake if you take it later in the day.

Give it some more time. For me, the diarrhea is the last symptom to disappear.
Posted 2/22/2020 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
My doc is recommending an 8wk course. Is that typical?
Posted 2/22/2020 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
That’s what mine was set for. I still haven’t had much change, hope you do well on it. I’m just so discouraged since most people on here said they saw results within a few days. I’m going on a week now.
Posted 2/23/2020 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
So, my doc just prescribed pred for me. Yeah! 40mg/day for four weeks. I guess he'll see how I'm doing on it, then we'll discuss the taper plan.

Question: I'm not a breakfast person. Would taking the dose with something thick like kefir generally prevent the upset stomach?
Posted 2/23/2020 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
40 mg for four weeks?! That's way too long on 40 mg. I have no idea why he would prescribe that for anyone, let alone for someone who has never taken pred before. I would recommend taking it with something.
Posted 2/23/2020 5:36 PM (GMT 0)

Sara14 said...
40 mg for four weeks?! That's way too long on 40 mg. I have no idea why he would prescribe that for anyone, let alone for someone who has never taken pred before. I would recommend taking it with something.

Thanks. As it is the weekend, I don't actually know his plan. Since they are 10mg pills, it could be that he will taper me down from 40mg before I use these all up. Hope to hear from him tomorrow.
Posted 2/23/2020 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Ah ok. Strange he didn't tell you the taper schedule on the pill bottle. Good luck with it. Typical dose is 40 mg for 2 weeks, then taper.
Posted 2/23/2020 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Asked my doc if I could go up on pred dose but they want to keep me at 40 for now. Ugh.
Posted 2/23/2020 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry. Kind of figured they wouldn't increase it until after 2 weeks. It might take 2 weeks to work. It took 2 weeks for me the last time I took it. Of course, if you really wanted to, you have enough pills right now to increase it yourself... ;) I would recommend waiting though.
Posted 2/23/2020 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I thought about that too smile Was just hoping since this was my first time on it that it would work quickly. I don’t know what’s going on and just losing hope.
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