OK, I don't have much experience with pred, but my RD gave me my first pred pack a week-and-a-half ago when I was having serious trouble with my right arm and hand, and it did wonders. My first day without it was Monday, and thankfully I didn't instantly swell up again.
However, by last night, I was seriously hurting again...so much so that I only got 2 hours of sleep (and yep, I'm at work right now). Now my right hand is stiffening up again, getting worse the longer I'm up, rather than better.
I see my RD on Tuesday afternoon, and I don't want to wait til then to get some relief, but I'd also rather not call him if I don't have (especially it being a Friday). There is a refill on the pred pack...should I just go ahead, refill it and get it started? Or is this something I really need to call him about first?
As much as you hate to do it, I would suggest that you call your dr. before you get your pred pack refilled. It has been my experience that most rd's get upset when we take pred. without their approval. just my thoughts. I would think you need to get the refill. After all that's what he gave it to you for. They don't want you to stay on it, but they also don't want you damaging joints either.I dunno on this one. It could go either way. I would think if the doc didn't want you to refill it he wouldn't have given you a refill on it. But then on the other hand I think...if the first one didn't work...would the 2nd? I don't get refills on my pred packs. If it doesn't work I have to call my rd because there is something going on he is going to want to look at and figuure out if I would need a change in meds...like an increase in mtx or lyrica...or change biologics...or put on a higher tapering dose of pred. I am doing a higher and slower taper now.
Let us know what you decide to do!
Well, the pred did work...after the first day, the swelling was significantly down, I had ankles and knuckles and all sorts of visible joints again. And it stayed that way for 10 days.
Anyway, I decided to call in the refill...my RD has never given me a hard time about anything I've done. But I'm not going to pick it up until tomorrow (after my bloodwork...I want him to see what it's like pred-free) and if I'm any better by then, I'll tell the pharmacy to just put it back in stock.
When the RD sees me on Tuesday, he can let me know what he wants me to do from there, but I've decided not to spend the weekend in unneccessary agony, especially since he put the refill on there.
Thank you, everyone, for your input...it is important to me.