Flaring again?

[kateel]

I am now down to 2 mg prednisone/day. (I dropped from 5 mg. on Monday) I started having D again yesterday and today I have stomach cramps, D, and some bleeding. Could the prednisone have been masking the symptoms? Could I still be flaring? Am I flaring again? How does this work?

For people who have been in remission, how does it work? You're in remission and on your meds for sometime, then suddenly start flaring again?

This is my first flare/course of treatment so I'm very new to this.

Meds I'm on:
Asacol 800 mg 2XDay
Pred 2mg/day
multi vitamin
vitamin D 50,000 IU 1x week
Iron 3 325mg ferrous sulfate/day
stool softeners 3/day

No recent dietary changes, stress level changes, etc.

 

[Astra]

Hiya Kateel

Yes Pred does mask symptoms. Remission for me means no inflammation in my TI, altho I can have diarrhea everyday, that's cos I eat crap.
Sounds like it's not finished working it's magic on you yet, how long have you been on it? How long before you tapered down?
Time to see the doc methinks, bleeding is not a good sign. You're obviously active.
Good luck
xxx

 

[kateel]

Thank you for your response, Astra! I started out on 40 mg pred for 7 days, then started the taper. I was tapering 10 mg each week until it became apparent that was WAY too fast of a taper and my doc FINALLY agreed to taper me slower (I'm in the process of switching docs...) I started the pred begininning of June. I am on 2 mg/day now until Monday, then 1 mg/day for one week then done.

Forgive me, but when you say "no inflammation in my TI" what does TI mean? (bare with me...I'm VERY new to this...just diagnosed at the end of may)

Is it possible to have some symptoms for a few days as my body gets readjusted to the lower pred dose? it seems that each week when I drop down I'm having a few symptoms. Although, I must admit, it has never been as bad as it's been the last couple days.

 

[Astra]

Hiya Kateel

TI is the terminal ileum where my Crohn's is.
This became very inflamed and infected last year, and I was on Pred for nearly 11 months.
In my opinion, you've not been on it long enough, especially if you're still active. Of course it's still possible it's worked, but I would check first, make sure the inflammation has reduced.
I started on 50mg Pred for 3 months, then 40mg for 3 months, then started tapering which took a further 5 months. Every time I hit 20mg I flared again, so it was upped, cos I was still active.
I'm in remission now, no symptoms at all.
Mine was a bad un tho! I was blocked and I nearly died, apparantly/allegedly!
Talk to your gastro, I know it's a bummer being on Pred but it will reduce your inflammation eventually, I'm living proof of that!
xxx

 

[kateel]

Thank you again, Astra! I think a call to my gastro is in order. I'm SO ready to be done with the pred (In the month and a half I've been on it, I've gained 10 lbs and I swear it's all in my face/belly, not to mention all the other side effects) but I understand the need to be on it if I'm still flaring.

 

[sunflower]

I agree, you need to taper a little more slowly. I was on it for 11 months the first time. Every time I dropped a dose, I had symptoms. I have had to drop as slowly as half of a 5 mg tablet at a time. It is a juggling act, and yes, each time you go down your body and disease has to adjust to the change. A month and a half really doesn't seem that long to me, especially since most of the time you are pretty inflamed before they finally diagnose you! LOL!!

I HATE prednisone, but have come to understand it is my necessary evil.