I've been taking prednisone for a little over a month now. I'm down to 15 mg a day from 20.
Just got back from having a Dexa Scan. Dr. started me on Fosamax about ten days ago, and ordered a Dexa Scan to see if the Prednisone was causing any bone thinning. Preliminary results are good.
My hands did start peeling a couple weeks ago, but he gave me some hydrocortisone lotion that cleared that up real fast.
Mike
Mike -
Hi - I have been off of Prednisone for a while now - other than a "burst" of it for respiratory problems. It is a drug that I have a love/hate relationship with. I have been off and on it for many years. I hope that you are able to get off of it with the addition of new medications.
Good luck and we're glad you're here!
I can't help with taking them personally but I used to work pediatrics and we had several children on prednisone for another disease (I'm having a brain fog and can't think of the name of it).
Most of them did fine with the medicine. The doctors usually ordered maalox or something of the sort to be given with the prednisone for added protection of the stomach.
If you have specific questions, let me know
I pray that she does well and can be weaned off of the prednisone soon.
Hi ,
I Have been on Prednisone now for 20 years and are still trying to get off. I've been as high as 60mg and the low being 5mg and can't seem to get off i hate the fact that i can't i got down to 5 mg with the help of Kinerit and now that has stopped helping so they are starting me on Enebrel next week i pray that will help.
i get so down and i know that doesn't help any but i guess everyone feels sorry for themselves sometimes.
Blessings Skyla
June, With my rheumy dr.'s knowledge, I weaned myself off prednisone by going slowly down in dosage: 5 mgs. to 2 amd 1/2 (breaking 5 tablet in half) taking for 2 weeks, then breaking tablet again into 1/4, taking for 2 weeks, then taking the 1/4 every other day for 2 weeks, then finally just stopping altogether. While doing this, I concurrently went for different, other treatments: one week for accupuncture, another week for massage, another for chiropractic adjustment... All the while, avoiding all sugars and grains with my diet. Now, I only have mild achey wrists/fingers on waking, but eases by mid-morning. Let me know how you're doing. Rana I am on 10 mg prednisone daily for arthritis and it has given me my life back. And without any side effects. Dr wants to start me on Plaquenil and that frightens me. Any advise? ive been on prednisone for the longest time. i would like to get off from using this meds. bec. ive gained sooo much weight. is there a replacement for this meds?
Hi grandma,
I'm also a grandma. I'm sure you thought that prednisone was a gift from God the way it makes you feel. But prednisone has a dark side: weight gain+++, the weight is extremely hard to get off. You never know at what doseage or length of time that the problems will show up. I have had Cushing syndrome 2x and its very nasty. My head swelled the size of a pumpkin and I now have a "buffalo hump".That is just what it sounds like, a fat pad that occurs at the base of your neck in a line with your shoulders. I have never been able to get rid of it or the 80# I have gained over the years while taking prednisone. I have been slim all of my life until I had to take prednisone. I have had arthritis long enough that there have been a few times that prednisone was all I had to take because nothing else worked. It also causes many other serious problems.Take prednisone when you have to, but stop it as soon as possible. You have to be weaned off it slowly. Good luck with the plaquenil or whatever else you try.
New to this site, but I am running out of options. I was only diagoiused in Jan/04 with severe RA. I was not able to walk, move my arms or legs. I was put in the hospital for 6 weeks and was given alot of instructions. I have been on and off many meds due to other health problems or the med just not working. I have tried Enbrel for 6 months with no success, Arava no success, MTX no success, on Remicade but it does not look good. I am taking Hydrocychloroque, (there is a more common name but I can't think of it), MTX, Actonel, of course the Remicade and then the one that is really bothering me Prednisone. I have been on it for over a year and have had side effects that are ungodly. I was sick when diagnosed and extremely underweight but the steroids have helped with this. It is coming back to haunt me as now I need the weight to stop but don't know how. I have been working very hard on this for two months and every week I gain a pound. They don't know if I will every be able to get off. Please helpthe weight gain YIKES. Ive been on prednisone for a year now and an even worse steroid before that that made me look like a cabbage patch kid in the face. Luckily that has gone away. But ive gained 40 lbs in a years time. As long as your taking it you are not going to lose weight even if you exercise 7 days a week. I want off this very very soon or im gonna stop taking it before the dr. tells me to. I used to be very happy with my body but now i feel soooo fat.Take a look at her website my friends....it truely is amazing what this less sodium approach will do for you....
Margarete if you don't have RA or a loved one that does there's really no reason for you to be here.
Well Margaret, I dont use salt. I dont put salt on anything. Never have. Unless what im eating already has salt in it, then that is all the salt i use.
Who do you think you are, sending me a personal message with the same simplistic solution that you have posted here, as an answer to the weight gain associated with long term prednisone treatment.
Barb
Margarete, How 'bout YOU try taking Prednisone for a few years, and then tell us how EASILY you lose the weight by eating less salt! I gained 100lbs on Prednisone, and DON'T EAT SALT!!!!!!!!!! Take your EASY weight loss program somewhere else. Cris I, on the other hand, eat tons of salt. My blood pressure is always low, so I've never been too concerned about salt. I am taking 20mg of prednisone for my RA. Before I began, the doc told me to be careful of weight gain. He said it was nothing to do with water retention. Rather, it simply makes you hungrier than usual, so you have to pay attention to what you're stuffing in your face. It's just harder because you're hungry. I haven't gained any weight with pred because I paid attention to what he told me. And yes, it's been hard, but no so difficult as paying for new clothes. Margarete, you need to go peddle your uninformed silliness somewhere else. Find a forum for self-declared experts. There's an idiot named Esther on the Rheumatoid Arthritis board here that would probably be happy to have you for her new best friend. She's already been asked to leave that board, so I'm sure she's looking for someone who will listen to her crap. You seem a perfect candidate. Sara, You're right about prednisone effecting people differently, especially when it comes to weight gain. When I'm on it I actually have a gnawing feeling in my stomach and that makes me think I have to eat something. Sometimes I think I could eat the wallpaper off the wall. My sister takes prednisone for her asthma and she doesn't have the weight gain problem. I think that sucks.
Have a great day. Barb
Barb, I might PM you sometime. Something about you makes me feel like you could be somewhat of a soul sister, so to speak. What city do you live in, if I may ask? PM me with that if you like. Take care! Saint Here, I have been on the big "Pred." for 25 years. I knew the risk when I started. I had 15 or more good years and now it is payback time. I will deal with this aspect like the other good years. I have a loving Father in heaven who has cared for me all my life. I take it one day at a time. Yea I have the weight gain and the rest of the drug reaction cast of characters. Some days they get the best of me but I end up on top most of the time. I am surrounded by people who love me and care for me when I can not, I am blessed indeed. I have one scrap of advice don't let anyone try to convince you that you are the problem and if you would only Yad,Yad,Yad. We got a raw deal but we are not alone as we deal with P.A. Don't let anyone who thinks they have the answer bum you out, they don't no one does. Stay as cool as you can my brothers and sisters. If it helps then do it. You did nothing to deserve this life we endure. Look for the good in everything and everyone. Remember wash your hands before and after, say please and thank you,look both ways, hold hands and don't swim alone. It's the best advice I can give,it gets me through.Maybe it will help and maybe I am just full of it? The Saint Perry Hall, Md. Hi Everyone. I am new to this board and so glad to have found it. I was dx last year with RA. Am on mtx and pred. I am trying to wean myself off the pred. Have gone from 5 mg to 1 mg. A few aches and pains, but all in all not too bad. My fingers are crossed.
Susan from Calif. Welcome Susan, Am I the only one that has a "buffalo hump" from taking prednisone? Its not that I would wish this on anyone else, but I wouldn't mind having someone for company in this exclusive club. Barb
Hi Everyone, I am taking 10mg. of prednisone and will work my dose down to 5mg. everyday for a week and then 1/2 tablet for a week. Then stop and hope I don't start having a lot of pain. If I do, I will start the prednisone back even tho I also have the weight gain and hate it. I like feeling good and being able to do my work and enjoy life, and this drug helps me to be able to get around. Grandma J I have just weaned myself completely from pred. and my pain is a little worse, but with the other meds, I should be ok (no damage.) YES- I had a very round face and a buffalo hump, as well as increased appetite and weight gain. It is not that I gained a lot of weight, it is more that I just couldn't lose weight. I am the same weight I was before, even though I was trying to lose. Oh well. I am just glad I am off the pred. I am hoping the extra fat in my face and upper back will dissapear. Maybe I should start walking more to get my circulation going better. Maybe that would help? I just read something about the hair that will grow on your face from Pred. It will stop growing when you stop pred, but it wont go away until you pluck it/get rid of it somehow. Then it will be gone! Ok, I am heading to the bathroom to pluck away now! I have some under the sides of my chin. I think I have lost three pounds of water just from my FACE. I am just telling you all this so that if you are experiencing these side effects- don't worry, they go away fast! :)
i couldnt have said it better myself.
Karla
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