Lowering Predisolone = Pain

[Kuwabara]

Hey guys I'm into week 9 of my 12 week course of predisolone that has been gradually declining. From 8 pills a day to begin with I'm down to 2 now. I'm also taking 8 pentasa a day.

Thing is,this weekend I've been getting small flaring pains for the first time in a while - at least since the first fortnight of my treatment. Should I consult my specialist about whether I should up my predisolone count, or should I tough it out? - It could be just because I've had a crap weekend(been stuck in the house bored and miserable with miserable weather outside.)Part of me hopes that is the case, I feel my mind rules my body.

I'm due to begin remicade in a few weeks although I'm yet to recieve a date.

For the first time since I got this disease I've been thinking 'I wish I was normal'. I guess that's a thought I may have to get used to.

Thanks guys

James
x

 

[imisspopcorn]

It never hurts to consult your doctor....James, I always experienced mild flaring while tapering down to the really low doses. You may need to taper more slowly. Good luck.

 

[farm]

The last time I tapered off of Pred I went from 60mg down to around 30mg; dropping 5mg each week, and when I went from 35 o 30 I started getting some bad abdomen pains. Doc put me back up to 40mg and tapered down from there. The day I went back up to 40mg the pains went away. He said sometimes stepping down can be tricky. Good luck and consult your doctor about it.

 

[Kuwabara]

Cheers guys,thanks for the tip Farm. I've had a good night sleep and I feel fine today but should I get pain later on I'll defo be onto my doctor.

 

[farm]

Good deal James! Pred is a little tricky sometimes so be sure to get with your doc if anything feels weird or different.

 

[crohns072009]

Im in the process of getting of predisone, while staying on imurne and lialida and starting cimzia...i do 40mg and have for 4 months if not a little longer, my GI said go down 10mg every week..what u guys think..im kinda worried.

 

[Kuwabara]

I presume your doctor is a professional but I hope you know him personally enough to trust his judgement. My stepdowns have been done in 5mg steps untill Week 6 of my 12 week course of Predisolone after Wk 6 the steps were going down by 2.5 mg per week.

If you're worried I'd simply ask him to explain his reasoning behind the 10mg steps and see perhaps if he could could ease the scale down if you are still concerned.

Once again I'll stress that this is based pureley on whay my doctor told me. But he said that the predisolone steps are gradual to allow the adrenal gland to adjust to the lower amount of steroids in your body. He told me that naturally the body makes a small amount of steroids through the adrenal gland perhaps a tea spoon full he said and when the you take predisolone it is the equivalent of putting an ocean's worth where previously there was simply a teaspoons worth apparantly. The Body recognizes the fact that there is ample amount of steroids in the system and subsequently limits the manfacture of its own steroids in the adrenal gland( 'The body is not stupid!'It doesnt do things when they're uneccesary' he said - except the immune system uncessarily attacking my gut eh?- what about that!).

Anyway the tapering off the prednisolone allows the adrenal gland to steadily re-introduce its own natural steroid production.

I have to stress this is second hand medical advice your reading off a forum from an unqualified git. Please trust your doctors opinion over mine or the opinion of my own doctor - my interpretation of what he said/I just told you is subject to so many possible inflections of the truth. This is the essence of what he told me two months prior when I started my course, I hope you can talk to your doctor to help you overcome any fear about your prednisolone course.

 

[farm]

Personally I've never jumped down 10mg at a time. It's always been 5mg down to a certain week, then 2.5mg drops until finished. 10mg drops, wow, I'd be worried about that just because I've been on Pred SO many times in the past.

 

[shazamataz]

I agree that 10mg drops seems too fast, especially if you have been on high doses for quite a long time. My doc has me reducing every three weeks to give the body time to adjust. Also he had me on 5mg drops after I got to 20 mg, but I changed it with his permission to 2.5mg drops since I got to 15 as the withdrawal effects were too much. I even have experienced really bad withdrawal effects going from 12.5 to 10 last week. That is just me though, and I have had the underlying ongoing condition of Chronic Fatigue for many years prior to the Crohns and apparantly that can be caused by underactive adrenals so mine may already be compromised.

 

[imisspopcorn]

I've gone from 60mg to 50, then 40.....to get off the higher doses faster...But, my doc always has me drop down in 5mg increments after that. If I notice a problem at a certain dosage, I can stay at that dose a little longer. Make sure you consult with your doctor....

 

[shazamataz]

If you have trouble getting hold of your doctor can you kinda just manage it yourself Carrie?
I ask because I have left messages and email for my GI a week ago and not heard back! useless b**tard!

 

[imisspopcorn]

If you have trouble getting hold of your doctor can you kinda just manage it yourself Carrie?
I ask because I have left messages and email for my GI a week ago and not heard back! useless b**tard!

You should be fine slowing down a taper. The real problems arise when people quite cold turkey. You can have adrenal crisis...(Not trying to scare anyone). That is very rare.
I always wonder if the doc doesn't get the message because his assistant isn't giving them to him, or if he truly is a b%#tard. I always ask if they got my previous messages, just in case it's the assistant screwing up.

 

[robbo87]

Hey guys I'm into week 9 of my 12 week course of predisolone that has been gradually declining. From 8 pills a day to begin with I'm down to 2 now. I'm also taking 8 pentasa a day.

Thing is,this weekend I've been getting small flaring pains for the first time in a while - at least since the first fortnight of my treatment. Should I consult my specialist about whether I should up my predisolone count, or should I tough it out? - It could be just because I've had a crap weekend(been stuck in the house bored and miserable with miserable weather outside.)Part of me hopes that is the case, I feel my mind rules my body.

I'm due to begin remicade in a few weeks although I'm yet to recieve a date.

For the first time since I got this disease I've been thinking 'I wish I was normal'. I guess that's a thought I may have to get used to.

Thanks guys

James
x

this is exactly the same as what happened to me a few weeks ago, i came from 8 and as soon as i got down to 1 tablet a day, and eventually came off, i had a really really bad flare up, im also taking 8 pentasa a day. it was the worst flare up ive had since being diagnosed. as soon as i got chance i went straight to the doctors and told me to take 2 pred (10 mg) a day, until i see my specialist on tuesday, and that it seems the pentasa has possibly wore off?

id say see your doctor and theyll probably say a similar thing. there shouldnt be too much of a problem if you continue taking pred for a short while provided you are getting the vitimin d things aswell.