Pred Question | Arthritis Information
Ok, I have seen on the other boards info posted about a Pred Pack (burst and taper)A burst and taper is a short course of pred. It starts with a high dose for 3 days (40mg) that's the burst. And then you taper from there. The next 3 days 30mg the 3 days at 20...
This morning is the first I've taken pred since the onset. I had decided that I was never going to take it again. But I'm messed up enough right now that I'd probably take dung beetles if they were supposed to work. Although I did take 30 mg instead of 40. That seemed like too much.
Debra, If I am understanding your question correctly, you are talking about a Medrol Dos-pak. It is a bubble pack that is comprised of 4mg cortisone tablets. You start by taking 6, then 5, then 4...you get the point. Hope this answers your question. Thanks everyone...that answers the quest. Linc, I was like you, didn't want to take pred again, but I had to miss my MTX because of being sick and it has me messed up a bit too. :(
Well... I am the pred junkie on the board. I will take it for as long as it helps me. I do not mind gaining weight. It has took me 7 years to get up 167lbs. I have added it up one time, from the time I was introduced to prednisone for long term use, in 2001, I have gained 4lbs per year, but some of that is also baby fat from where I had son 3 years ago.
I actually gained more weight when I was not on pred, the years before going to RD's, then I do while I am on pred.
My weight also fluctuates, like one month I will weigh 163lbs the next 2 months I will be sitting at 167. I have been down as far as 157lbs and then back up to 163lbs. This year my weight has went up. I was 164lbs for a couple of years, with fluctuations, 164lbs was my base never went below that, but I would go above that.
Pred does not really cause you to gain weight. It just depends on if you give into the cravings and how active you are. Me I give into the sweets far too much, I would weigh less probably if I could stop eating sweets. When I was a kid and teenager I hardly ever ate candy or sweets, my mom would not let me. But after this pred stuff, I crave sweets and most times give in. But lately I have not been craving the sweets or even felt hungry. I have to make myself eat most times, because nothing really sounds good and things that do sound good I just go without.
Prednisone works wonders for me however I turn into a total evil b**** on just 5mg. I'm not exaggerating here. Last time I took 5mg I yelled at my boyfriend for 3 hrs straight about nothing, and was just plain pissed off for 2 days until it was out of my system. For this reason I only take pred when absolutely necessary. Now don't get me wrong it is fantastic stuff but the side effects are NOT pretty. I was on 20mg/day when I was first diagnosed but was taken off when my Mom demanded to my doc that it be stopped because of how it was affecting me, I stabbed my brother with a pencil.
Yeah... I get the pred rage when I am on long term over 10mg. I am fine as long as I stay at 10mg or below, anything higher I am a freaking banshee.
But I have to say... I have went as far as stabbing someone with a pencil. Throwing the remote at someone maybe, but that is about it.
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