This is the first time on this board, and so glad to find some info about prednisone. I had to go on three years ago after having a Kidney transplant but they have taken me off it about three months ago now. There are two questions I would like ask, does anyone know if it affect sugar levels? And has anyone that is come off suffer with really bad pain in there joint? The pain I get in my hands is driving me mad! and I feel like a ninety year old woman in the mornings
Maddiemo
Hi,
I am new here also but not new to the RA. I have been on 35mg for about a month and tapered off rather quickly over about a week because it raised my blood sugars into the 300s. I was borderline diabetic and diet controlled prior to this. I had to go on a pill and take insulin. I am supposed to start Remicade on Friday.
I also am suffering with hand and finger pain. I dont know about being on pred for so long in your case. Do you have arthritis?
Barb
hi
sorry to hear you are struggling. Have a look at the article 6 topics down about prednisolone, by Dr Fusco - very clear about the side effects. As I understand them (and I've been taking it for 18 months for polymyalgia rheumatica) certainly sugar levels can be a problem, and joint pains when dropping down a dose.
MargaretHi
I was on 40 MG Prednisone beginning Dec. 2007 and started a taper beginning mid Feb. My sugar levels were on the high side all along and my doctor just made me get a fasting gloucose test because he thought I might have prednisone induced diabetes. Thankfully I do not. it runs in my family as well.
He is doing a slow taper. I am down to 12.5 MG. The last two drops were only 2.5 MG. What i noticed when I was dropping 5MG was beginning a day later I would start to get achy and the achiness would increase in intensity for the next 2 days til I thought oh no here it comes! Then I'd wake up fine the next day- I guess my body adjusted.
I'll be glad to get off this crap. I can't stop eating.
oh man, i have been on predisone 60 for about a year and gained 40 lbs. it's terrible. :( i can't wait to get off it. i know predisone affects blood sugar as well as a whole bunch of other things... including more pain :(I'm down to 8 mgs as of last Thursday.
Still have this unsatiable appetite- when the heck does that go away?
My belly looks like a flipping balloon. It's fat yes but what's with the bloat? Is that the prednisone?
Doing pretty well pain wise tho- wrists and hands ache with use.
Dear Maddiemo,
I too took prednisone about a year ago for psoriasis. It cleared my skin beautifully but as soon as I came off the meds.... wow, my skin flared and was worse than ever and I had a headache that lasted for a solid week. I had to take 800mg of Advil just to hold my head up. I will NEVER take prednisone again unless its a life threatening thing. And yes, my joints hurt coming off too. I am now on enbrel for the psoriasis, but have developed major joint pain AFTER taking the enbrel...... very strange since it was developed for RA!
Good luck and hang in there..... God Bless!
Monja
I was down to 2-1/2mg and guess what I went into such a flare I am up to 12-1/2 mg. Icouldn't walk lift my arms or anything once I reached the 2-1/2. I don't know what I am going to do because I have high blood presure that can not be control because of the predisone is working agist my b/p meds. So I have been in hostipal every month for the last 2 to get it under control and it is is not. So anyone predisone can help you so much but it can do a lot of damage to. Bless ya all Joan
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