Poll - What is the longest time on Pred | Arthritis Information

 

I had to up my pred again after finally getting to 1 mg. Now I am back up to 4. I have been on pred since last July 27 . Now about 7 months. I am wondering if people end up on even smaller doses for years.

I was on for about 6 months. I was off completely for about the same. However, I have had to go back on during flares. When it have been sick and had an infection...no enbril...It takes me forever to get well. When I am off the enbril for over 2 weeks, I have had to go back on prednisone. I take 30 mg then decrease by 5 g every day for a week.

I hate the stuff!

I have been on it for over 4 years now.  The dosages have varied-90mg down to 5mg.  Every time we try to get me off of it the joints flare but so do my eyes.  I end up developing scleritis-inflammation of the white of the eye.  So..back on the pred.  I guess I would rather deal with the weight up and down than not being able to see!Good topic and information. Prednisone does work on the 'short term', as well. I couldn't have made it without it. Also, Remicade today (the 3rd infusion) and MTX every week. Getting help is wonderful, but isn't this slow going??? My Dr won't let me have it due to OA.  I did get a Pred pack for Bronchitis and kept them, 24 @ 4mg ea, for dire emergencies and have made them last for over a year.

I have been on Prednisone since January 2001 I started out at 20mg for 3 mos. then down to 10mg for 3 mo. then 5mg for 3 mo. Then in 2004 I had a bad flare and my rheumy gave me a medrol pack and after that we switched to methylprednisone.  I have been on various strengths of it since. Mostly lower rather than higher.  I am on 4mg one day and 2mg another day right now.

Along with Enbrel, Aleve, and Norco.  I am waiting to go back on the Immuran.   In January I had a reaction to something and was taken off ALL of my arthritis meds for 6 weeks.  I have been miserable to say the least. the reaction caused my liver function tests to skyrocket (2100, and 1700) respectfully. Now they are back to normal which is below 47.

But they are being very cautious about adding back meds.  I am not convinced what I had was a reaction because I have been on the combination of meds I had been on for almost 3 years. 

But anyway... Some days are worse than others and I am on my 3rd shot of Enbrel so I am hoping things will kick in soon.

Hugs

Cheryl

Have been on Prednisone since 1996.  Started at 10mg,  after 6 weeks went down @ 1 mg a month to 4 mgs.  About 5 years ago they tried to get me to stop and I flared.  So back to 10, then down to 5 until Christmas.  I am now down to 2 1/2.  and am afraid to stop altogether.  I don't have any side effects except the weight gain and even that has been under control since taking the 2 1/2.

Am now on Humira, Placquinal, and prednisone.  Plus three other meds for other things.

Hope this helps

 

 

I was suppose to be on a short course and that was one year ago.  Now I am down to 2.5mg for the past week.  We will see how that goes.  Hate the weight gain.

  On and off for 25 years - mostly on...

 

10 mg for 2 yrs straight now. I have been on pred since September 2005. Started at 25mg I think
(memory is vague as I was pregnant at the time! ) but have now
reached 2mg per day. Have been this way for months now... no sign of
going lower at this point in time.... still too much joint pain. BUT I'm
seeing the doc in two weeks so who knows what the plan will be? I have been on since Oct. 2006.  Now on a maintenance dose of 5mg and doing well on that. 

I have been on Predisone since March 2004.  Started at 30mg and began to lower after three months when the Methotrexate kicked in.  Eventually got down to 6mg, but had to go up again to 15mg for about three months and then began the taper again. Plaquenil was added in at that time. By September last year I was down to 6mg and 5mg on alternate days, and had been doing quite well at that. I was due to go down again, when it all turned to custard!  Now my ankles are involved as well - gee whizz - oh well - I guess it had to come. 

So I'm now back up to 8mg at present, along with Placquenil and Brufen Retard.  I'm due to see the  Rh. again mid-April, so I guess he will start me coming down again.  He said he will inject my ankles this time if they are any worse.  What ankles???   They've disappeared!!

Now I have what my kids call Cankles - calves down to the soles of my feet!!  

15 years varying doses...was off a year and SOOO excited but now have been back on since last June:( Working on it though... Thank you all for ansewring this poll. Taking the prednisone has been the biggest thorn in my side. I have been watching very closely what I eat ever since I started on this drug and there are days I just want to totally pig out but instead I just get depressed. I feel hungry  most of the time.

Also, I was so hoping to get rid of at least one of the dangerous drugs I am taking.

It's so good to know what to expect. I dont want to get pissed off at my Doc for no reason because he's been O.K. and not like some I have been reading about on this forum.

I brought myself down to 3 pred this monday and even with all the rain  I am doing not too badly. A few aches and pains dont bother me.

hi there... been on pred long time too... not fun, eh?  One thing to remind everyone... watch that bone loss from it.  It has put me into the Ostopenia stage and now I have to take bone meds.  I am very frustrtated about that.  I know its a love/hate thing with this drug, since most of us wouldnt be moving much without it, yet its so harsh to our systems.  (not to mention how crazy it makes us!)

take care! good luck, may we all got off of it (or close) soon!
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