Hi guys
I went to my doctor this morning as I can no longer tolerate the pain I've been in, mainly from hip and knee inflammation (although I feel it most of my other joints too).
To help me through, until my rheumy appointment on the 30th, she has started me on a 10 day course of prednisone (5 days of 40mg, then 5 days of 20mg). I haven't used prednisone before and wondered is it likely to make a big improvement in my pain levels?
Also, I am trying out tramadol (ultram, tramal) as codeine was not helping me much.
It should make a big difference. Then, the doc should be able to get you off the prednisone and start treating you once you meet with him. Prednisone is kind of a quick fix. Don't be surprised if you are more irritable, more active, and can't sleep.
When my pain medicines don't help, upping the prednisone will. That's why he gave it to you.
You will want to ask him specifically how he plans on treating you. Most start you on MTX first, but they all take time to work.
You should definitely feel better with this. Have hope.
Thanks!
I'm looking forward to the 'quick prednisone fix'! I'm on a low-dose of mtx (7.5 mg) plus sulphasalzine, so I think it's time to treat my arthritis more aggressively - it certainly feels like it
What time is it in your part of the world? (It's 1:15 pm here.)
Wendy, hope the prednisone works for you. It seems to work well for most people. I gave in and used it briefly when the pain got to be too much. It worked quite quickly, I was amazed. A short course of it did the trick and by then the other drugs started kicking in.
Good luck!
p.s. Wendy. when it was 1:15 pm Saturday for you, it was 9:15 pm Friday night for me - east coast US. It's weird to travel from here to there and lose a day altogether. We once left the US on a July 2 and arrived in Sydney on July 4. What happened to the 3rd!! Very strange!Hi Wendy. Pred. was a life saver for me. Started helping with the pain in a day and eventually eliminated the swelling in my hands and feet. Hope it works that well for you!
Susan Hi. Wendy. You may like Tramadol, it works for me. I,too, started on the 'magic bullet' of high pred doses but when they reduced the dose the pain came back, not as bad but bad enough. Tried various pain killers, eventually got onto Tramadol. Didn't realise at first that it's a slow release formula so I began by taking too much and ended up feeling like an automation. Now take one 50mg tab 9.00am and 9.00pm which gives me a comfortable 'window' during the day and a fairly good night's sleep. Augment with the occasional paracetamol tab. These pain killers make life bearable while, hopefully, the main drugs (MTX, Arava) do their thing. Good luck! Hi Wendy, Prednisone is usually the first med prescribed when you are diagnosed with RA. Usually it will make an immediate improvement. In fact, if you don't improve, you probably don't have an inflamatory kind of arthritis. Next, the doctor will try to wean you off the prednisone and give you something that will not have the serious side effects of prednisone. I've been on 4mg of prednisone for 2 years without disasterous side effects. I have a few. It is not uncommon to be on several RA medications simultaneously. Good luck. Linda Hi everyone. Thanks for all your encouragement. I am indeed feeling a LOT better today and will enjoy this respite from pain, in case it's only temporary. The tramadol is very effective also and isn't make me nauseous like codeine did. What a difference it makes to not be in pain!!
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