In early november I went up to 7.5 mg of prednisone from 5 mg. Then tapered to 5 but had to go to 10mg 3 weeks ago. Today my neuro called and said to go to 20 mg for 2 weeks to a month. 10 mg helped but did not clear up the vasculitis and my nerve problems are progressing a lot now. They had been stable. Does all this mean my imuran is not working? Or is this just a flare? I am on the max dose and am worried it is not working and also about being on so much pred, but I'm also worried about the nerve damage. It will take me at least a month to get back to 10 when I can taper.
I always struggle with whether or not the health problems are more serious than the damage the pred does, but usually wind up realizing I was pretty sick after I increase. Took 20 today but have not noticed any improvement yet.
Laker
Bless your heart. I do not know with so many different health issues if this means you are flaring or not. I know that my ears can have an issue when i do not seem to be flaring otherwise. I do know when i am flaring with RA i have everthing at once it seems. Pred can help prevent cancer, pred can prevent your insides from scarring. It's not all bad. There is good with the bad. I have alot of scaring on the inside on my lungs, liver and esophogus. I would think the pred would not be good for the esophogus but hey nothing else has ever helped it. My reflux is not much worse than it ever was. Actually the antibiotics have been making it worse than the pred ever did. So i am thinking maybe it will help prevent further scarring on my esophogus even tho i have reflux , but i would have anyway if i quit taking the pred. But i say bless your heart because that would effect me mentally and physically a bit. Sorry you have to take so much pred. Also pred does not fully work that fast i think two or three days for full effect, i have not read that lately but i think and could be wrong that i read that several years ago while having a bad allergic reaction. Let us know the out come and keep us posted. And please vent. I know i would if i was on 20 mg for a month. I am very sorry you have to increase your pred...sometimes that's the only way. It is so frustrating when it seems are meds are not working. What can I do? What's the next step? Will I ever find something that will work for ME? I feel your pain Laker and pray you will find some relief very soon.