Day 14, 40mg Prednisone - shouldn't I feel better???

[suschex]

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and have been on 40mg Prednisone/day for 14 days and still don't feel better...I see the doctor for the first time tomorrow...I was diagnosed after an ER visit/admission to the hospital 14 days ago...colonoscopy the next day and home that afternoon with the Prednisone.

Feeling desperate...how long does it take Prednisone to work? How high of a dose is normally used? What happens if it doesn't work? I just feel scared and worried and a million things right now and could use a little info from anyone right now.

 

[tiloah]

What symptoms exactly are you having when you say you still don't "feel better"?

Did your doctor prescribe you a maintenance medication?

 

[suschex]

I still have cramping/pain, bloating, nausea, fatigue and weakness, feel sick all over almost like I have an infection in every cell of my body. I don't mean to complain and be negative. I am thankful that the diarrhea and bleeding stopped after the colonoscopy prep. I just thought I would feel a bit better by this point. I have seen a number of posts on here about Prednisone working even at lower doses in less time but I know it depends on the case. The doctor has not prescribed anything other than the Pred. yet...I see him for the first time tomorrow morning...hoping he has a good game plan in mind!

I was just wondering if it was common to not feel any real effect...good or bad (no side effects) from the Prednisone after this long?

 

[tiloah]

I wouldn't say it's common, but I don't think it's that uncommon. I never felt any effect from steroids (though I did worsen the first time I tried them after discontinuing), but in the second it was because I had an abscess that couldn't be healed with medication. Also if you have anything causing a problem that's not inflammation (such as a stricture caused by scar tissue), steroids will most likely not help that.

I'd say it's too early to be desperate. There are a lot of treatments out there. In *most* cases, steroids are prescribed to get the inflammation under control so that the maintenance medications have a chance to start working. You and your GI will have to discuss what your treatment regimen will be going forward. But definitely bring up how you have been feeling when you see your doctor tomorrow. That the diarrhea and bleeding have stopped is a really good sign.

I hope you get some good treatment going that gets your symptoms under control and you start feeling a lot better really soon. Be sure to check in with us to let us know how you're doing or ask any more questions. You're also always welcome to come here and vent or chat.

 

[Crohn's 35]

:welcome: to the forum. You have been given great info from Diesanduhr... as she says strictures or scar tissue aren't controlled by meds. I was going to say you may have an abscess and I am glad you are seeing doctor tomorrow. 40 mg of pred usually works within days for me. You have need antibiotics to control your symptoms, as prednisone tends to mask or put a temporary bandaid on the problem.

When you fell lousy you have the right to feel angry and complain. It will get better but you do need to get to the bottom of it and the right meds. Please let us know what the out come is tomorrow. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[suschex]

How do you know if you have an abscess? Would it have been seen on the colonoscopy?

Thank you both for the information!

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

You should feel limitless energy and huge reduction is symptoms
within one day. If not, you have an infection and he should have put you on prednisone, cipro , and flagyl.

 

[DustyKat]

My son didn't have a wonderful response to Prednisone either. I do think it helped stabilise his inflammation but that was it.

He was found to have a fistula and abscess and I think this is the reason he continued to feel unwell and have pain whilst taking it.

Ask for a blood request for CRP, ESR and CMP. With any luck they should give you some indication if underlying infection is present. You could take your temperature as well but you can have infection and still have a normal temperature. If your bloods did return elevated results then a CT scan may show an abscess if too much inflammation isn't present.

Dusty. xxx

 

[Anthonyl1991]

I have been on three prednisone cycles and the first one was 30 days. I never really feel better until after I taper off those last few days... Everyone is different.

 

[Unicornsusie7]

How long had you been having symptoms before you started on the prednisone?
I have found that the longer you go with a flare before starting prednisone the longer
it takes to start to work. I have taken it for a month before it started to work. At that time I was on 6mp and assacol for maintenance meds after that flare up and a second colonoscopy the gasto told me the crohn's had gotten worse and I am now on humira and so far so good. Hoping I can make it more than 1 year without a flare up.

 

[suschex]

Thanks to everyone for the input!

unicornsusie7 - I have just been diagnosed. However, in hindsight, this flare has been goinng on for a year or so. Looking even further back through life I have had symptoms of Crohn's for 20+ years but no one ever believed me. I think you are correct about length of time. The doctor was not at all shocked to findn that I was still very ill. He said my CD is severe and that I have extensive damage. Should take a while to heal. He is either going to put me on Humira or 6MP...he is doing the labs and x-rays now and will start me on one when they come in.

I have a lot of research/learning to do...very disoriented at the moment.

Thank you all for the support!!!

 

[soretum]

Hi Suschex,

I was diagnosed with severe chrons colitis in June and the prednisone never really made me feel that much better, am now on Humira and chron's is feeling the best it has since diagnosis....good luck hope the humira works for you

 

[Staceyscarlete]

I was on a 40mg dose of pred for 6 weeks before I finally began to taper down. It took me nearly three months to finally get off of it but it helped. I was nearly symptom free of the disease for 3 months which was awesome. I'm back on pred again and this time with imuran and while it's only been 3 weeks and I'm not feeling healthy yet I am feeling better and beginning to taper down much sooner this time. Have faith I'm sure you'll make it through. It's a tough drug and all the side effects are no fun but at least if you can get back to eating and living again for me I think it's worth it. During a flare I get anxiety and I never leave the house for fear of being sick.

 

[Unicornsusie7]

Glad to hear that your doctor is going to start you on one of the other meds. Good Luck