Please help with side effects of prednisolone!!!!!!

[Debbielouisa]

:ack::yrolleyes::confused2:

hiiii.
could anybody offer any advise.... had another flare, been 6 months since my last flare so not bad, been put on prednisolone 25mg again,
I get married in 8 weeks and i'm scared all my old symptoms will return, weight gain mood swings horrible thoughts re my life, wanting to harm myself,
it was a tough choice to make between being ill and going through the side effects because they got so bad, they haven't put me on as higher dose as last time, but does anybody have any advise on how to control diet and mental stability, its the last thing I need 8 week prior to my wedding and hen do abroad in 5 week.. so scared of it all and trying to keep calm, (last time I tried to split with my partner 5 times in 1 day, didn't sleep, 2 stone in weight gain, planned my own death, and many many more)

 

[PVail]

Sorry your going through a bad time .
A wedding , wow thats a lot of pressure never mind anything else . Firstly I think you would be best to go see your Doctor and be open and honest about your concerns. They are best qualified to to both advise on the medication and possibly get you some help if your having issues dealing with the side effects .
I think personally its good to try and think of these two things , wedding and flare as two seperate things.
The wedding depends on arrangements being made and deligating duties to friends and family to assist will take the pressure off. Just try to be organised and try to keep a eye on stuff so nothing goes wrong causeing you to worry .
Your flare well this is something you've been through before and have had some bad experiences . You need to learn from this and dont repeat any of the things and dietsthat made you worse. You have to take an active role to self help. A food diary each day , eliminating trigger foods and do speak to your doctor . maybe there is a better drug that will not be as aggressive or affect your mood as much .
Above all its so important to sit back for a second an d take note of just what the next few weeks hold for you and how your going to calmly and methodically get through it and have a great wedding.
One step at a time , Doctor for your meds and a good talk. Then friends and or family to
to help out with the wedding and hen arrangements .
Write it down how your going to do it and go for it .

Peter

 

[Debbielouisa]

I did voice my concerns with my GP but to be completely honest and not insulting but she is no specialist and basically read my notes and put me back on them because she knows no different!!
my specialist is off on long term sick and they couldn't get me in at the hospital good old nhs!
so in the end I just agreed to go back on them! but your right I do need a food diary, and maybe a personal diary to write how I emotionally feel and concerns rather than blurting things out. at the moment I'm just eating liquidized meals, today was shepards pie and veg in a soup form for energy and because I've lost a lot of weight to give me some nutrients back, but I'm scared of ballooning, I know that sounds shallow but I just don't want to look back on my one special day and seeing a huge moon face on my pictures be reminded of what I go through every day!
because of my illness I pretty much have everything sorted because I didn't want to stress any closer to the day and become ill like I am now! but its the mental thoughts I think that is one of my huge concers, I work full time and have a 12 year old daughter and it just scares me!
thanks for your advice

 

[alex_chris]

Hi Debbie,

Yes, it's not a great situation to go on pred to control a flare, when you have your wedding coming up. But your health has to come first... always.

What other medication are you on to treat your Crohn's long-term? Have you consulted with a GI before instead of talking to your GP who you say hasn't really got any good experience with Crohn's?

I am asking because first 6 months without severe inflammation is ok, but it still seems your level of inflammation is too high generally. What you want is to go into remission, don't you?

I think the first thing you need to do is find a GI in your area who is specialized on Crohn's and talk to him about long-term management be it with aza or 6mp or with biologics (recently I have come across several studies and articles on doctors arguing for early use of biologics for patients which have been diagnosed recently and have not been on immunosuppressives or had surgery - see here e.g.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127038/)

Drugs, be it pred or immunosuppresives or biologics etc., are always just one component in managing Crohn's. You rightly ask what you can do on diet, relaxing and generally reducing stress. At the end this is somethign most people have to figure out by themselves, but as a start I would suggest you look for diet tips on here and as to stress relieve and relaxing you can do anything from yogo to work out (endurance sport is good to keep people in remission - although in a flare up, it won't work). Also check out the information on vitamin therapy on here, that reallly helps me.

Lastly, I know I didn't focus this post on your concern about side effects of pred (moonface etc.), but that is because you really can't help the side effect of pred - and to treat your current inflammation short-term it's just the most effective drug. Depending on your current inflammation level, the only alternative (but probably not advisable) I would see is treatment with biologics right away, because biologics can kick in much early than immunosuppresives - while you do not use pred (and therefore avoid side effects of pred) - but please, this has to be discussed with a good GI.

 

[Astra]

Hiya Debbielouisa

whilst you are on Pred it's vital to drink tons of water, the moonface is water retention.
Also, reduce your salt intake, it's the sodium that swells you.
Also, don't fight Pred, it's fruitless, go with the flow! When you have a desire to bollock someone repeat 'It's not me, it's the Pred' over and over, then walk away from confrontation. It's imperative that you consult your gastro about the psychosis you're feeling with this med
Good luck xxx