HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

How long until Pred kicks in again?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/30/2011 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
I started flaring about 2 weeks ago as I tapered down on Prednisone. I originally started at 40mg and started to flare as I tapered from 20 to 15mg. The Dr brought me up to 20mg and upped my Asacol from 2400 to 4800mg. It's been 4 days since the dosage change. I feel like I'm getting worse every day with more blood with every BM.

How long until I should expect to see results? At 40mg of Pred, I felt better in 2 days even though the scope revealed severe inflammation throughout my colon. Since I'm new to UC, is it unrealistic to think I should be seeing improvement this early at 20mg?
Posted 5/30/2011 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
the taper must have been too fast.....I surprised he didn't bump you up to 25 mg...my doc always goes 5 mg up from where the last mg I wasnt flaring...that always did the trick for me
Posted 5/30/2011 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Pred used to work great for me in the beginning when I first got IBD, but it's since lost it's affectiveness after only being on and off of it a handful of times...pred is funny that way, since it can stop helping all together so you may be experiancing pred no longer being an option for you....you should discuss this with your GI in more depth, good luck.
Posted 5/30/2011 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Nightside-I think I'm going to ask the dr. on Tuesday if I can go to 25mg to see if that helps things. I kind of felt I might be going too fast on the taper but I had no reason to question the Dr's orders.

Pb4- hopefully Pred remains an option for me. I've only been on it since March so I consider myself a newbie.
Posted 5/30/2011 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
Give it some time, some like you start to feel well in a few days and others take a few weeks for maximum effect.

Feel well
Posted 5/30/2011 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
How long were you on 40mg per day? Was this your first time on pred?

I was just prescribed pred at 40 mg for 14 days then taper but haven't started yet...looking for alternatives as I was very reactive to hydrocortisone enemas and Asacol drugs. Pred would be the last thing I would want to get dependent on and also have it not work!
Posted 5/30/2011 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I was on 40mg for 6 weeks. This was the first time on Pred.
Posted 5/30/2011 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Call your Dr tomorrow and advise him of the situation.
In my experience, during a taper, if I begin to get any signs of a flare, I will raise my dosage to stop the symptoms asp. If 20mg does`nt work in two days, I will go to 25mg. If that does`nt work I will go to 30mg. As soon as I get positive results, I will try to immediately taper down 5mg. and then resume my normal taper. If I can get to 20mg., I find that dosage bearable and the taper can be slow and steady.
Maybe you could reduce 2.5mg the next time you reach 20mg. Its a different process for everyone.
Posted 5/31/2011 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
I spoke with my doctor this morning, they are having me go back to 40mg of prednisone and then a slower taper after that. 

Thanks everyone for the advice, I probably would not have called the Dr so soon and would have tried to hold out way too long.

Posted 5/31/2011 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
I don't want to scare you but when I was tapering down, I had to go back up to 40mg to squelch a flare up that began when I tapered down too quickly. It was awful and extended the course too long but thankfully I was able to get off a couple months ago. I hope you can heal without having to start over.
Posted 5/31/2011 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
40mg to 35mg is a 12.5% reduction in dosage. 35mg. to 30 mg. is a 14% reduction. When you get to the 20mg. to 15mg point its 25%. You can see where this is going.
As soon as the 40mg gets you stabilized, the drop from 40mg to 25mg can be a 3 week process if you watch your diet and faithfully stay on any other meds and supplements.
After that don`t push it. Drop the dosage, monitor for a few days, then adjust.
If you get stuck at a certain dosage (and you should`nt because you`re new to Prednisone), call the Dr and review the treatment.
I was always wishing and hoping things would get better while things got worse and before I acted I was in trouble.
Now i`m more pro-active.
Good luck!
Posted 5/31/2011 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
I have to check in with the Dr on Friday to see if the increase to 40mg of Pred is helping.  Hopefully this won't keep me on Prednisone for an extended period of time. 
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply