Prednisone isn't working

[TheLazy1]

I started my 20mg course of prednisone two weeks ago and I'm now down to 15mg until Monday when it goes down to 10.
The problem is I'm not seeing any significant improvements.

Pain is still a problem. (though it is a little better)
I'm not gaining weight.
I still have no energy.

At least I don't have 100% diarrhea anymore but now it feels like there is more pressure moving the more solid stuff through my gut.
I'm not having too much in the way of side-effects either, it's almost like it's doing nothing at all.

Any thoughts?

 

[Kev]

Sounds like my 1st experience with pred... did the 20 mg thing, then tapered off. no real improvements... spoke to GIs' at the clinic, they increased me up to 40 mg

That worked... took about a week at 40 to get results.. then I had to taper off. The problem is, the higher the dosage, the longer it takes to taper off it safely..

I've heard of folks on here who've had to go as high as 60 mg to get it to work

So, I wouldn't give up on it yet. Speak to your GI/dr. U may need to up it to a higher dose..

 

[TheLazy1]

I hope there is something better that can be done aside from upping the dose, I hate the night sweats that I get now and I can't imagine having to deal with that for two months.
Then again, it's probably better than random attacks of gut agony.

Should I be taking my control drug as well?
I was taking asacol but did not get it refilled since I started prednisone, maybe that's why it's not working.

 

[Wiles]

Should I be taking my control drug as well?
I was taking asacol but did not get it refilled since I started prednisone, maybe that's why it's not working.

That's probably something you should ask your doctor.

Personally, my doctor has never told me to stop taking my other meds while I'm on pred.

 

[BWS1982]

I agree, you should consult before stopping any meds, and if he DID tell you to do that, it still could have an effect, starting one new drug and stopping an old one....two changes at once makes it hard to attribute the results, doesn't it? I had about 15 changes over the last 6 months in meds from starting one, stopping one, the docs even said we're not concerned with giving credit to one particular change, just making you feel better....well thanks for the well intentioned modifications but this is far too chaotic to discern what works/doesn't...so frustrating....

Anyways, 20mg is a fairly low dose unless you're "smaller"...