Your insight wanted . . . .

[Bob from Midwest]

Good Morning,

Pentasa wasnt working, so now I am doing a two month prednisone taper from 40 mg on down, supplementing with my usual doses of Pentasa even though the Dr. is not hopeful of it helping. Still on 40 for another week. Suppose I feel a bit better so far, but not much. No side effects so far. How long do I have to be on this stuff before I don't feel sore anymore. Some say it works right away, but then even if it is working, is the soreness and cramping still par for the course? The plan for me is to do the pred taper to eliminate inflammation, then transition to 6mp in December. Has anyone here made that transition before? Thank you for your time and insight.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Yes, Pentasa did nothing for me when I was first diagnosed. I did a pred taper like you but believe I had started 6mp at same time so that the blood levels were where they need to be by the time I stopped pred. It can take a few weeks for 6mp to help. Pred works much faster but it can be days to a couple of weeks as well. It's very individual.

 

[Sef0912]

I can't help as far as going from Pentasa to 6-Mp, as Pentasa was a terrible drug for me and my Dr. found out that I cannot take immunodialators or immunosuppresants (and, I can't spell). As far as prednisone, I have have been on 40mg for almost 3 months, due to having to wait so long to start Humira. I started Humira today, and we are hoping to taper in 4 to 6 weeks time, depending on how the Humira works and how I adjust to the tapering. It did take me a while to respond to prednisone, with some pretty horrible side effects, but I feel great, minus the insomnia, on it. I hope that you find a dose that works for you and that 6-MP is also helpful in helping you achieve remission.

 

[Roxymusic]

Of all the stuff I've taken for Crohn's 6MP is the one that gives me nausea. Although that might be good when prednisone is making me gain weight, which is just about every course on it. Sometimes I feel like I want to eat my desk. I only get joint pain generally on prednisone tapering.

I took Pentase for years. Doubt it did much but who knows, might have preserved some more bowel.