How long do the positive effects of prednisone last?

[chickpea]

I've been on pred for 3.5 weeks now - 2 weeks at 40mg, 10 days at 30mg, and I'll be tapering 5mg a week from nextweek.

Since being on it, I have put on 4 or 5 pounds, which I'm thrilled about. I am eating everything I can get my hands on. I have so much energy, I am bursting with happiness, my eczema is gone, I am only on the loo about 2 or 3 times a day (no more diarrhoea!) - it's mostly all good!

Will the weight gain stop as I taper? Will I go back to being exhausted and grumpy?
I know I have to come donw of pred, but the results have been so fantastic, I am frightened that all thr goodwork will come undone - just as I can see how much better life could be.

 

[MapleLeafGirl]

I think everyone is different, but for me everything slowly started to return when I got down to about 5 mg. I am currently on 40 mg and feeling much like you do. It is wonderful isn't it?? This is my third round in a year and every single time, everything slowly goes back to being as bad as it was. The last time for me, I managed to make it three months of being off and then had to go back on. The weight gain stopped and started to reverse itself. That is why I have chosen to go the surgery route and am now just waiting.

Please don't let that discourage you though. I know that there are plenty of people who are knocked into remission and stay there even when they get off. You may be one of those people and I really, really hope you are!

 

[Rebecca85]

For me the pred didn't completely remove my symptoms, probably because they started me at a fairly low dose (30 mg for a week and then taper). This was because I wasn't officially diagnosed. However, my symptoms haven't got any worse since finishing the pred. I did find the weight gain stopped as I tapered - once I was down to about 10 mg my appetite was back to normal. I do get fatigued, but then I am not completely in remission- if the pred has completely got rid of your symptoms you may find the fatigue has gone too. Just don't forget you will probably need to start watching your diet as you taper.

 

[chickpea]

I just can't get over how well I feel. It does feel chemically-induced, insofar as I do feel a bit manic...like it couldn't last forever, otherwise I'd burn out!

I now weigh just over 8 stone for the first time in almost a year, and I am desperate to pile the weight on while I can, knowing that it will probably start to slide off again once I drop the pred.

I am desperate not to go back to where I was at the beginning of the year:thumright:

 

[crohnicaly stinky]

I continued to gain weight and had good energy levels after getting off Pred. My energy was not as high as it was on Pred. but more normal. If you ever saw the old cartoon Popeye, prednisone is just like when he eats a can of spinach.