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Down & blue coming off Pred :(

down & blue coming off Pred :(

Hi all, just wondering if many of you got really down and blue coming off the Pred. I'm on 10mg's of pred currently and I've been really down and depressed since dropping to 10mg. I know pred can have this effect sometimes when tappering but its never before happened to me.

Michael
 
crampygut said:
H David, I started at 40mgs Pred, and at the same time I started 9mgs Entocort, around 2 months ago. Still on 9mgs Entocort as well.
Thanks, Michael. I'm taking 20 mg, the GI may want to take me down next Thursday when I see him. I'm already pretty bummed about this disease and some other "life events", all I need is some chemical assistance :(

Do you find the Entocort helps? Much in the way of side effects?
 
S

seb

Guest
I am on only 20mg and i am so cranky, i have to think what i will be like when i start tappering down, (have to be on pred for appr 5weeks) how long to people usually stay on it for ?
 
Pred is such a good drug for crohn's but crap when it comes to side effects. Entocort is better when it comes to side effects, for me anyway, but it didn't keep my crohn's at bay without pred this time around. I suppose we all have to deal with the side effects until something better comes along to replace pred.
 

Astra

Moderator
Hi Michael

I started on 40mg of Pred on January 15th whilst in hospital, I stayed on this dose for 28 days then started tapering by 5mg every week, when i hit 15mg all hell broke loose! symptoms came back etc, so i upped it back to 20mg,
I hate it so much, so decided to taper again this week to 15mg and ride the storm, its been 5 days now and I feel like death warmed up, very tired, fed up and listless, but i'm still gonna go to 10mg on Monday whether it kills me, I have to come off it, it's screwing my psyche up something chronic.
It's a fab drug, it did what it set out to do, reduce my inflammation, but time to kick it's arse now, and get rid.
good luck, chin up, we'll be ok
xxx
 
Location
USA
Hi Michael,

I hear you - I tapered from 10 to 7.5 last Saturday (started at 25 back in Sept), and today is the first day I don't feel totally angry/fed up with the whole world! I've had a lot of trouble with manic mood swings with every step of this taper, and I am really hoping I don't have any more set backs because I really need to get off this stuff!
 
I find I get more depressed and anxious when I lower the dose and I am more energetic when I take a higher dose.
 
Hi all, well at least we're all in the same boat with this crappy drug. Today i tappered to 7.5mgs and i'm scared sh#tless(pardon my language) about getting further depressed and moody, wish me luck all. BTW thank you all for replying to my post, it helps to have support and advice from fellow sufferers, its hard to find understanding from people who dont really know what we go through physically and mentally.

michael
 
Ditto here, I started at 60mg in January, I've now tapered to 5mg and the last month has been hell.. really dark moods and thoughts. This is my 6th round of prednisone, and each time I taper I get very depressed. In the past I used antidepressants but didn't like the side effects of those, either, so now I just try to tell myself that my body will even itself out in a few weeks and just to keep plugging through. I feel especially depressed when I think about gaining 30lbs in the last 2-3 months, which makes me want to eat even more... Thank god I don't have a crazy appetite anymore, like I did when I was on 20+mg of pred.

I've been doing a lot of meditation and exercises in self-compassion... If you have time, google mindfulness or MBSR and see if it might help you!! It really helps me calm down and reconnect.
 
Hi Sharon, I suppose all we can do is try to ride out the side effects of pred until things go back to normal but it can really be frustrating trying to deal with a flare up, low energy and psychological issues on top of it all. I will look up those sites you Recommended I'll try anything that helps. Take care

Michael
 
I prefer to ride it out too because you have to wean off of antidepressants too and weaning myself off of pred is enough for me. If I want to cry then I cry. I tell myself it will pass.
 

ameslouise

Moderator
Sorry you're having such a tough time with the blues.

I have been tapering too, but very slowly - 1 mg per week. I have some other taper side effects - joint pain, mild nausea - but not the blues. Then again, I am on two head drugs so that is probably helping.

The pred really can wreak havoc, in addition to doing so much good...

Good luck with rest of your taper - Amy
 
Thanks and Lydia, I'm doing a bit better on 7.5mgs of pred at the moment but i'm very fatigued. Pred is definately a drug that can do so much good while causing so much havoc. I'm hoping I dont have to go back on it again any time soon just so my body can recover from the emotional rollercoaster this drug has caused me.

take care
Michael
 
I dropped down to 15 mg today and I feel all jittery and nervous. BAH! Maybe I will get used to it tomorrow.
 
Hi Amy, my Dr has suggested starting Remeron to help with the sleep issues and anxiety caused by the pred tapper but I cant handle another drug and its tappering side effects.

Sorry to hear you're feeling bad Lydia but if its any help i'm feeling like absolute crap too. Dropped to 5mg today, lets hope things get better from here. I'm going to see a specialist next week to see if I have mild adrenal fatigue from the years of using pred, it will be interested to see what the results suggest. take care all.

Michael
 

Astra

Moderator
Keep going my friends, rooting for you all
I'm riding the terrible storm and tapering to 5mg on Sunday,
'This too will pass'
We can do this
Yeah?
xxx
 
Location
USA
I'm with you, Joan - we can do this!

7.5mg has been terrible for me! Argh - I've been soooooooooo moody and rude to everyone these two weeks. I'm going to 5mg tomorrow... maybe it won't be as bad? *fingers crossed*
 
Today is pretty good. I think I will do 12.5 for a couple days and then go to 10 for a week, and the 7.5 for a couple days and 5 for a week and then alternate b/w 5 and 2.5 for awhile and then 2.5 and 0 for awhile and then 0. I have been reading about different ways to taper. Some say you can do it by 5 mg/week others say by 2.5. I dont remember how I did it before. lol.

We can do this. Today has been ok.
 

Astra

Moderator
Yeah Lydia my doc suggested by 5mg, so that's what I'm doing, and it wont take as bloody long neither!

Sabrina, You'll be ok sweetie, just remember to focus or divert, we're gonna whoop it's arse!

Hey, dunno yet, I might end up freaking out big time!
Finger, toes, eyes and cankles crossed!
 
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