Maybe you should call and ask the doctor.I think he was experimenting to see if it helped and what happened in the week between tapering off and seeing him. It's touture, pure torture. I have no clue what is wrong with my foot, the veins on top of my foot look swollen, but not the joint. It is a little bit red, but no more than usual, but hurts way worse. My knees hurt and are more swollen today than usual too. I'm thinking it is a side effect from being off Pred (it is my 4th day off), or maybe I just overdid it when I was feeling better and now paying the price for that.
Prednisone just masks the symptoms, so it's possible it's getting worse while you feel better on it. Once you get a dx you will be offered more effective medications. In the meantime, do some research. There are many folk remedies and alternative remedies that your doctor won't tell you about, anyway, that you can do that might help.I was about to post a topic about this. I was on a dose pack before dx, and my symptoms skyrocketed afterwards, although I was right at the start of onset. That was in December. Back in late July, RD prescribed a dose pack to try to knock out some inflammation I had in my elbow/shoulder. Well sure it was fine for a while but came right back, slightly worse. It's been up and down since.
Now I am having major league issues with my jaw, and less than 2 months later (more like 6 weeks), RD is calling in another dose pack. The pain has been so bad at times (and I can't eat solid foods) so I want to take it but I'm wary of the pain coming back worse than ever once the pack is through...
Long story short i have experienced the same thing with being on short doses of pred. I almost feel like it makes me worse in the long run...
Usually the RA rears its ugly head after the dose pack wears off. For me it is gradual, but taking a 'vacation' from all that pain and stiffness and fatigue makes 'work' feel so much worse. Feeling good is normal and natural and we adjust instantly. Feeling miserable takes a long time to adjust to. You must be very careful on a dose pack not to over do.
I have had dose packs that really got rid of a very bad multiple joint flares, while I did indeed feel worse after it wore off, I did not feel as bad as I did in the middle of a flare.
Living with RA can be very intense and trying in the beginning. That up and down but chronic trouble with a joint or joints is typical. It can take a long time to get the RA beast under good control.
Pred is not a good long term drug. I don't really want to advocate its use. But gee it really works best and quickest for me, when I have a nasty flare. No one should have to live in a flare state for weeks that sometimes grow into months and for a few can last years.
A cortisone injection can bring into a very 'hot' joint can sometimes bring lasting relief.
My RD is stingy with the stuff but if I ask for it, he will perscribe it.
I've stayed away from pred because that was one of the things I didn't like about it. When you finish the pills the pain (to me) was intense. Plus I had other reactions I didn't like and to this day, I refuse it.
I've had the cortisone injection in my hips one time and it helped for 5 or 6 weeks.
The pred is a short term fix. I want long term. IMO>
take care
I have a love/hate thing with pred. It works so well when flaring, but for me, tapering off was a very long and difficult process each time. This last time it took over a year to taper off, so I told my Rheumy, no matter how bad I get or how much I beg, do not give me pred. He kind of chuckled at that. A couple of weeks ago I called him because my pain was so bad I could not stand it and he said to take 3 vicoden 10/325 a day until I see him this week. No pred, lol.
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