My rhumy increased my pred to 10mg on Tuesday.....and I don't want to admit my hands are feeling a bit better. I asked him what my other options were and he said to give it 2 wks to see if it makes a difference. After all I've learned about the Pred.( which isn't actually a whole lot...I'm too scared to learn it all) I don't want to be on it. Can't I lie and say it's not working anyway? Not that I enjoy being in pain...but (thank God) it's not "that" bad off the pred. just uncomfortable at this point. I don't know what to do? I know the Plaq. can take a while longer to kick in...so what's another month or two of pain while I wait for the Plaq. to work. (having faith it will work)
Amylynn. Please read all you can about this drug. If you are able to wean
That's what I was thinking....Do you think staying on it these 2 wks will be ok? At least then, I can tell him I tried it for the 2wks.
You'll be fine short term....but I'm hearing of so many doctors these days letting their patience stay on this stuff long term. That's the worry.
We've all taken predisone. It's a life saver at times.....but the key is to take it short term while your other medications are being adjusted. If your doctor increases your predisone dose and doesn't prescribe something else or adjust a dosage it's a really bad sign. That just means that when you do stop the predisone you'll be right back where you started. What's that helping?
Give the plaquinel a little more time to work before you panic. It is one that takes a while to become effective. It has to basically build up in your system. I used it years ago for a while with good results. Chances are once you've gone off the predisone it will have had a chance to start working. If you get off it and give it another week and you still aren't any better you might have to change to something a little stronger like MTX.
Try not to panic. Predisone isn't good in the long term.....but I think some of our warnings to some of these long term users are getting confusing for some of the newer patience. We've all taken it and it's gotten us through some pretty dark moments.
Hang in there.
OH; and don't lie to your doctors. If you don't want to take something just flat out refuse.....but don't lie. Predisone is also used as a tool in dx. If you say it's not working he'll think you don't have an inflammatory illness and you'll be back to square one. You don't want that. You are in control though. You don't have to take anything you don't want to. Period.
AmyLynn,
I think Lovie is right. The main concern is long term use of prednisone., and one of the things that helped with my diagnosis is that I respond great to 20 mg of prednisone. I am seronegative. I worry because I have been on it for much of the last year at 15-20 mg, but I was having serious problems because of vasculitis. I'm at 5 now and feel pretty miserable but I know my health is not threatened so I'm trying to hang in there until my next appt without increasing. I wouldn't worry about being on it short term.
Laker
Please don't lie about the pred. I totally agree with what everyone else here has said about pred. Tell your doc your fears about the med and suggest that you would rather have an nsaid instead. The reason he put you on the pred is to get the inflammation under control which in turn will help with your pain. Suggest something like naproxen or mobic as an alternative.
I too am hoping to be off pred come June 5th. Tomorrow I will be down to my 5mg maintenence dose and I want off of that. While pred helps us short term, the long term effects of it are a just really bad.
Hi, yes pred is a worry, but also yes 'it works'. Take it for as long as your doctor says, but plan to get off of it, also. lv sarahWhat is the criteria of "short term" versus "long term" Prednisone use? A three or five-day blister pack or five months, five years? Anybody know? Thanks in advance.
Pred doesn't just come in the pred packs. Some people are on differing maintenance doses. Like I am on 5mg maintenence now after a taper down from 25mg. I found one article that said doses at 10mg a day the risks significantly increase. However, the article didn't say for how long people were taking that dose. Then I found a study that said 1 year or more is considered long term pred use. They also said that the 10mg/day dosage is where the risks significantly increase.
To me, pred at any dose for any length of time is dangerous and has the potential to cause many issues. Both articles stated that it was important to try and find an alternative to the pred like an nsaid.
Please don't lie to your doctor. He'll be able to know you are not on it, by2 weeks at 10mg is not long term use. Once you get the inflammation down, way down, it sometimes will stay down.
Don't lie to your doc. Tell him about your fears about pred instead. Ask him to always keep it at the smallest dose and to avoid prescribing it if there are other alternatives.
Thank you all so much for you input! I will stay on it for the 2 wks...and if it's helping, let the Dr know it is.( I won't lie
And maybe he'll taper me down between now and November? We'll see I guess.
Thanks again!I feel that a pred pack with proper weaning is a good short term supply.
This is a wonder drug and a life saver at times, don't get me wrong but,
when used chronically, it becomes a big problem with so many other
problems popping up, all because of prednisone use.
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