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Started Prednisone treatment today-Questions

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/3/2010 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with colitis yesterday. The GI office called in my prednisone prescription yesterday, which I started this morning. They gave me 100 pills and I am to take 4 pills (40 mg) a day. This seems like such a long period to be on this treatment. Is this typical? I'm also on Flagyl which ends on Sunday, which didn't seem to help much with the inflammation because I am still having D right now (3rd week). How long does it take for the steroid to help? I know it's different for diff. individuals but just to get an idea. I try to think positive but it's so difficult and I also worry about the long term effects of prednisone. Any comments/tips are appreciated.
Posted 4/3/2010 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
To add.. My D is still so watery. Some days I go about 10x (like yesterday), some days I go 5-6x. I don't see a pattern that shows progress. How can I help add bulk to my stool when I can't really take in fiber? So sorry for ranting, I'm just so frustrated and fearful of the unknown.
Posted 4/3/2010 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
I've had periods of a few months being on Prednisone...I'm surprised he started you on that right away...did he mention any other drugs to you? Also, I'm sure he told you but you have to taper prednisone, you can't just take the 40mg till it's gone, it has to be stepped down gradually. When I was on it, I eventually had to cut mine dose down by 5mg every 10 days till it was gone. Alot of people on here find relief with Psyllium Husk fiber, it might be worth a shot.
Posted 4/3/2010 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
also when I've started steroid treatment, it's usually helped me within a few days but again everyone reacts differently.
Posted 4/3/2010 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
I was started on Prednisone three days ago. I do feel as though it is helping already. I, too, was prescribed 40 mg/day, and was given 140 x 5mg tabs. The first week, I am to take 40 mg. Then as blksteeda mentioned, it will be tapered down. 30 mg the following week, then 20 mg, then 10mg the last week. One month of Prednisone isn't long-term, so I was told not to expect too many ill effects from it. The medication gives me an upset stomach, but Gravol seems to take care of that. It also makes me tired, but I was tired before the meds, too. I am feeling stronger after just three days.

I hope the treatment works for you. Hang in there.
Posted 4/3/2010 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
You sound like me on day one of my diagnosis, 9-15-09. On flagyl for a case of alleged c-diff, not working, 10 to 15 bouts of brown water a day. Stopped flagyl,put on pred 40 mg. It's important to bring your debilitating symptoms of ulcerative colitis, such as the D, to as much of a halt as possible. Prednisone will help that and then you have to taper slowly. This forum will advise you all the way. So come here often.

One thing I have to say is my doc tapered me too fast. 40 to 20 in one week, 20 to 10 another week, 10 to 5, another week. I was too inexperienced to know how to handle the symptoms, so I had to be started over again from 10 all the way back to 40. I ended up being on prednisone for four months, when my doc wanted me off of it and the maintenance medicines like Asacol to take over. Hopefully, you will be on a shorter time and maintenance meds will take over. Didn't the doctor put you on anything besides prednisone to help you get into remission. You stay on those meds permanently tapering them to a maintenance dose, but you never go off maintenance meds. You don't want to depend on prednisone too much.
Posted 4/3/2010 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed last year 3-09 and I was put on 20 mg of pred in June for about 3 weeks.  Worked almost right away(1-2 days) I went from 10-15 d's a day to 3-4.  Felt great.  I went off and within two days I was back to were I started.  I was put back on pred from June until November.  The pred worked great for me but after about a month on it I was so moody and I gained 50lbs while on it.  I've only lost 10lbs so far.  Most of it seems to be the pred belly.  I was a bear.  Finally I told the doctor I can't be on this anymore.  It was bad.  I would just go off all the time.  I started remi in july and have been having good luck with it.  Hopefully the pred will work for you and get you out of this flare and you can find a good medication that will work for you.wink
Posted 4/3/2010 5:21 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone catches a lot of flack on this board. There are definitely some unpleasant side effects which may or may not affect you. But I'm a fan of the drug, because for me, it works! Longest I was ever on it I think was a little over a month.
Posted 4/3/2010 5:38 AM (GMT 0)
it's too bad the doc opted for pred as your firstline med.

Where in the colon is your inflammation...throughout or limited?


Did the doctor say you have UC or "colitis".

Did you discuss medication with your doc initially?

q
Posted 4/3/2010 9:38 AM (GMT 0)
You need to talk to your GI because I don't think he intends for you to take 40mg/day until the Rx is gone. He probably has you doing 40mg until you D stops and then using the rest of the pills to slowly taper down off of it slowly. That's the usual protocol. And prednisone HAS to be tapered off of at a dose like 40mg. Stopping cold turkey would hurt you. So, give him/her a call next week and find out when you will be starting your taper. It will probably be something like a set number of days after your symptoms clear up.
Posted 4/3/2010 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all your helpful comments. I have my post-colonoscopy ff up appt on Friday and will find out about my diagnosis then and how to taper off. Your comments gave me ideas what to ask him. All he said right after the c-scope (which was almost 10 days ago) that my colon was severely inflamed. He put me on flagyl first. I guess until he got the pathology/biopsy result and this past Thursday, I got a call from his office (I never get to speak to him over the phone), they confirmed I do have colitis (didn't say if it's ulcerative) and told me I had to go on pred therapy asap. Took my 2nd dose of pred this am and so hopeful that my colon will respond to it quickly like many of you. So far I've had 2 BMs. Everytime I pee, I have a BM. Sometimes not much comes out but yesterday I went 10 or more times and a couple of them were a lot. Really hard to stay positive when there's no progress.
One more question: when you say pred worked for you, what do you mean? How many BMs? And what form: loose, formed?
Posted 4/3/2010 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
JuJu0107,

You are lucky you were only on pred for a month. Most of us are not that fortunate and experience symptoms further along the course.

II

My first flare, pred immediately turned off the 15 to 20 bout a day diarrhea like a faucet. Pretty soon, stools started shaping up nicely, but the urgency was still great and I had pain during bowel movements.... Try mixing some psyllium husk with water. That will bulk your stool. Now I use about 1.5 tsp. I was up to 1 tablespoon in a glass of water cut with a little pomegrante juice. You may want to get on rectal meds, etc... Quincy has more to say on that. My doc wanted me on the minimum meds but he did put me on Asacol. You're not on anything besides prednisone?
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