I've had crohns for about ten years but it's been most severe in the past 2.5. I've failed humira and remicade. I flare 2-3 times a year. I have a stubborn fistula that is slowly healing. The dr wants me to take 6mp. I know that prednisone is not a good longterm drug and I know for most people it causes short term side effects but every time I have a flare they put me on prednisone 40mg and I am instantly better that day. I taper weekly with little side effects and no return of symptoms. Then I'm good for a few months till another flare. I'm having a really hard time getting myself to take 6mp because I dread the side effects/risk (especially throwing up). I understand that longterm prednisone is worse than 6mp but is prednisone twice or three times a year in a short course really that much worse than 6mp?
Prednisone as needed vs 6mp
- Thread starter Elizajp
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I sympathise. I've recently been on pred and I felt like Superwoman. But sadly it can cause horrendous long term problems, even when not on it all the time. My IBD nurse said that if I needed the pred a second time within six months they would be sending me for a bone density scan because of the potential damage it can cause.
Have you had 6MP before? If not, please don't assume you will be throwing up. Many people take 6MP/Azathioprine for years without problems or side-effects. I would strongly recommend that you give it a try if you haven't already.
Please also be aware of the damage being done internally by repeated flaring. There could be creation of scar tissue following inflammation which, over time, can cause all sorts of problems.
Have you had 6MP before? If not, please don't assume you will be throwing up. Many people take 6MP/Azathioprine for years without problems or side-effects. I would strongly recommend that you give it a try if you haven't already.
Please also be aware of the damage being done internally by repeated flaring. There could be creation of scar tissue following inflammation which, over time, can cause all sorts of problems.
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Please realize your intestine is meant to be soft like a garden hose and flexible
Each time you flare inflammation cycle has built up. These buildup a can cause scar tissue which results in narrowing and majes that part of the garden hose eventually hard like a pvc pipe . Once the scar tissue forms no amount of meds can fix it .
Using pred over and over again will result in glaucoma , diabetes , osteoporosis , adrenal insufficiency etc... Before there were all the "other" meds there was only pred
Eventually the pred stops working
This isn't a kind of sorta risk it's a known since they used pred for years
Ds was placed on 6-mp at dx at the age of 7.
It wasn't enough for his crohns but he had not side effects except increasing ast/alt so it was stopped
Good luck
Each time you flare inflammation cycle has built up. These buildup a can cause scar tissue which results in narrowing and majes that part of the garden hose eventually hard like a pvc pipe . Once the scar tissue forms no amount of meds can fix it .
Using pred over and over again will result in glaucoma , diabetes , osteoporosis , adrenal insufficiency etc... Before there were all the "other" meds there was only pred
Eventually the pred stops working
This isn't a kind of sorta risk it's a known since they used pred for years
Ds was placed on 6-mp at dx at the age of 7.
It wasn't enough for his crohns but he had not side effects except increasing ast/alt so it was stopped
Good luck
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