Prednisone

Could I please hear from members who have taken Prednisone. My consultant wants me to take it for two weeks. If it improved my symptoms then we could infer that there is some sort of inflammatory process going on. The list of side effects is terrifying - one of them is death!!! I would be very grateful for any feedback while I summon up the courage to take them. 

All I know about that stuff is it can do bad things to the human body, especially if you're on it for very long. For 2 weeks, I would think you'd be ok. I believe they make you gradually lower the amount you take to get you off of them. Any drug affects each individual differently so when you read all the side effects, that just means that those effects have been reported but it doesn't mean that everyone gets them or all of them. I took it for 10-14 days years ago and the only thing I noticed was wanting to drink/eat all the time. I don't think it stays in your body for very long after you stop taking it but it can do damage while you're on it. Good luck. 

Hi Mira25,  

Reading the side effects for prednisone is a scary sport for sure. Rarely do people suffer the worst of them. How many milligrams per day have been prescribed?  I have a lot of experience with prednisone, unfortunately.  

I do not understand your consultant's methodology for detecting inflammation. What symptoms are you trying to quell?  There is a blood test to monitor inflammatory process.... it checks the C Reactive Protein in your blood, called a CRP test, detects inflammation. Should be done with another blood test called Sed Rate. The two tests put together give a lot of information about inflammation. 

I have 4 or 5 auto immune disorders and all auto immune disorders have a large inflammatory component to them. So these blood tests are very familiar to me. 

Hope this response helps you.  

4 million prescriptions in US last year!

Dont get preggy?

Having been on it for a long time at one point in my journey, I can say it works but it is harsh and affects your mind, body and soul!  With that being said I know people who have done the 2 week stint and it works great for inflammation issues. Again it is a powerful drug and proced cautiously 

sorry you have to go thru this, I will be praying for you 

Cplumber

AlexT yes, it can, but it depends on the body!  I have acquaintances who ingested thousands upon thousands of mg with no permanent damage. I was on it here and ther for years, never high doses. Then got diagnosed with two more auto immune disorders and was treated with 40mg/day for 3 months and I was screwed. Remember those surgeries of mine u reacted to?  Ya, all because of prednisone. And every surgeon that worked on me did say things like "I've never seen such damage from so little, this is a 1 in a million scenario." That's me, one in a million. 

Just like me and a coworker came down with our rectal cancer at almost the same time. We were doing the same chemotherapy infusion and he was the 1 in a million that was allergic and broke out in open wounds all over. It was a bad time for him.

When I have terrible flare ups the Doctor will put me on for about 2 weeks..it helps to control inflammation. It's a tough drug but helps with many health problems but must be a watched carefully by your Doctor.

I've taken Many forms of prednisone drugs before and after my ileostomy as prescribed by my dr . Even what some take as a Z-Pak for cold related illnesses is a form of prednisone. I have never had any issues with it except getting better . Most prescriptions have side effects ,it all depends on the patient if you experienced one or not . 
I would say to trust your doctors,and if you don't trust them then you should find another physician. Trust the answers from your pharmacist,otherwise find another . And ALWAYS follow the directions and seek help if you do experience side effects. 
get well soon , Ritz

Hi all like many on here i was on and off pred. for years as much as 60mg a day for months at a time, it would calm down the flare ups of UC of which i was dx at the time but it was a tough drug to take but it worked.

This is very helpful, thank you. I would rather do the tests you mention than take the Prednisone, especially as biopsies taken a year ago showed no sign of inflammation. 

I'm very sorry to hear about the severity of your health problems. People on this site have really been through the wringer.

Thank you Ron. My current inclination is not to take it. I always have bad reactions to medical drugs. I'm glad it worked for you. 

Thank you for this and for your kindness. The consensus seems to be that a low dose for a short time should be fine. I will post again when I have summoned up the courage to try it. 

It seems so unfair that some people have to suffer so much. The resilience shown by our members is extraordinary.

Yes, it is. After 9 months of healing this stupid radiation wound I have/had, I've gotten back to near normal life. My coworker's battle continues as his cancer in his colon/rectal has gotten somewhat better but now they have found it in his liver. He's gonna start some pretty drastic radiation to try and kill it. 

Alex, I'm so glad to hear you have recovered well enough to have some kind of normal life. I really feel for your colleague.

I wish I could find a solution to my overactive bowel. I feel like a prisoner because of it. Thinking of having FMT as a last resort.

Keep well.

FMT. I presume you mean the fecal treatment thing?

With this drug you usually start at a high dose and taper down to a lower to zero dosage within the 10 day window. You want to knock the inflammation down fast and hard ..

I tried Predisone, it came back. Try the Uqoura. I will use the word " Awesome" Try It once, u won't use,anything else. I'm 75, Radiation from Colon Cancer damaged my Bladder.  Good L

uck

My apologies for not responding sooner my apologies for not being an active member I received an alert regarding prednisone and it caught my attention simply because I've been on prednisone over 35 years what I believe Myra needs to come to terms with is not so much the prednisone but her doctor any Doctor Who wants to say here try this and let's see what happens has to be a nut bag there are blood tests that somebody else had pointed out to show inflammatory process in the blood if I were you I would challenge him on that subject also challenge him on where he got his degree..

a two week trial ? u have nothing to worry about.

everyone who responded is spot on side effects.

keep us posted.

warrior.

Yeah, I know all about the radiation wound from hell that won't heal. I got my ostomy because the radiation wound (from colon cancer treatment, like you) wouldn't heal, wouldn't heal, and finally perferated, leading to peritonitis and slice and dice surgery. Hello, baggy! At this point in time, it continues to TRY to heal, unsuccessfully, and bleeding (relatively minor but annoying) from the stump to this day, some years later. Many scopes; conclusion: live with it. So ... I'm living with it. STILL better than the alternative!

I am so glad to hear that yours is finally healing - what a blessing! Take care.

Thank you. All best wishes to you. 

Well, Warrior. I agree with you which is why I'm loathe to take it. I have acted as a guinea pig for medics too many times. Did you suggest that a two week trial might be OK though? Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. 

Two weeks won't be awful. But won't diagnose the source of the inflammation. Still not sure what's being targeted?  Knowing that might help us help you!

Yes, that's my last resort. Wish me luck! 

I hope you're keeping well. 

Good luck, I wish you the best. 

Between 1985 and 1998 I was on and off prednisone multiple times. Occasionally I was hospitalised in order to receive 80mg a day for two weeks at a time before being weaned off it. The main side effects were a 'moon face' (on high doses), an insatiable appetite and some mood swings (feeling of euphoria at the start of the course, partially due to the reduction of symptoms to feeling grumpy when coming off).

Prednisone does stabilise and reduce inflammatory flare ups and the side effect, in my experience, are not long lasting.

Orrible stuff!!!!