Re: Digest Number 2353

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzanne and ,

I know all about the benefits & side effects of

prednisone. I started on 40 mg/day in November 1999,

at the age of 22. The rheumy told me I would have

cravings but I never realized how strong they would

be! The worst side effect for me was the weight gain.

I had, essentially, been the same weight since high

school. I gained almost 60 pounds in 2 months. Not

only did I have arthritis but I couldn't fit into any

of my clothes! It was awful!

Your doctor is right about the weight coming off as

fast soon after you reduce the prednisone. I was on 10

mg/day from May 2000 to May 2001. Last summer, I went

from 10 mg to 5 mg. I lost 40 pounds in less than a

month. I hope to be off of the prednisone by the end

of this summer.

I also take the prednisone in the morning, when I'm

the most stiff from sleeping. I'm usually okay within

an hour.

Take care,

Culpeper, VA

Reactive/B27 arthritis & AS

> Hi Suzanne,

>

> Thanks for sharing your experience with Prednisone.

> I'm having the very same problems you had -

> sometimes hot, sometimes cold. I have a little fan

> on my desk at work and I'm constantly turning it on

> and off, in between putting on my sweater! The

> people around me must think I'm crazy!!!! (I've

> only shared with a couple of people what's going

> on).

>

> My appetite has also increased. It's very

> frustrating. I've been assured that will disappear

> when I quit taking the Predisone. I just hope it's

> in time to fit into my summer clothes! But it's

> definitely a small price to pay for taking away the

> pain. I told my husband it was amazing - I feel

> like my old self again. It scares me a little to

> think I'll be going off of it. What if the pain

> comes back. The plaquenil supposedly takes up to 12

> weeks to get into your system so hopefully it will

> do the trick by the time I come off the prednisone.

> Did you notice the pain come back when you went off?

>

> I'm on Celebrex, 200 mg twice a day and placquenil,

> 200 mg twice a day and the prednisone 5mg. I was

> taking the prednisone at night but was having such

> trouble sleeping, I switched to morning as of today.

> Hopefully, that will help.

>

> I'm not familiar with C-Reactive protein. What is

> exactly is that and what does that tell the doctor?

> It's good you aren't having nausea with the

> methotrexate. It sounds like a lot of people are

> taking that particular drug. Is it just a matter of

> personal preference on the doctor's part, or do

> certain drugs work better for certain symptoms?

>

> Thanks again for sharing. Hope you're having a

> nice, pain-free day!

=====

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose DeNicola

Coordinator, Fauquier County's Promise

73 E. Lee Street, Box 22; Warrenton, VA 20186

Phone: (540) 347-7000, Fax: (540) 347-4732

www.fauquier.americaspromise.org

Fauquier County's Promise ... We're Pulling Our Weight

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi -

I live in Manassas, Virginia, so you are really close to where I live. I am

currently " shopping " for a new rheumatologist. Any suggestions? I was

diagnosed several weeks ago, I'm taking prednisone (10mg) and methotrexate.

Whenever I ask any questions my rheumatologist seems annoyed. There are

several other reasons why I'm considering changing doctors, but mostly I

just don't feel comfortable with him.

Thanks -

>From: Fauquier County's Promise <fauquiercountyspromise@...>

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: [ ] Digest Number 2353

>Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 08:24:50 -0700 (PDT)

>

>Hi Suzanne and ,

> I know all about the benefits & side effects of

>prednisone. I started on 40 mg/day in November 1999,

>at the age of 22. The rheumy told me I would have

>cravings but I never realized how strong they would

>be! The worst side effect for me was the weight gain.

>I had, essentially, been the same weight since high

>school. I gained almost 60 pounds in 2 months. Not

>only did I have arthritis but I couldn't fit into any

>of my clothes! It was awful!

> Your doctor is right about the weight coming off as

>fast soon after you reduce the prednisone. I was on 10

>mg/day from May 2000 to May 2001. Last summer, I went

>from 10 mg to 5 mg. I lost 40 pounds in less than a

>month. I hope to be off of the prednisone by the end

>of this summer.

> I also take the prednisone in the morning, when I'm

>the most stiff from sleeping. I'm usually okay within

>an hour.

>

>Take care,

>

>Culpeper, VA

>Reactive/B27 arthritis & AS

> > Hi Suzanne,

> >

> > Thanks for sharing your experience with Prednisone.

> > I'm having the very same problems you had -

> > sometimes hot, sometimes cold. I have a little fan

> > on my desk at work and I'm constantly turning it on

> > and off, in between putting on my sweater! The

> > people around me must think I'm crazy!!!! (I've

> > only shared with a couple of people what's going

> > on).

> >

> > My appetite has also increased. It's very

> > frustrating. I've been assured that will disappear

> > when I quit taking the Predisone. I just hope it's

> > in time to fit into my summer clothes! But it's

> > definitely a small price to pay for taking away the

> > pain. I told my husband it was amazing - I feel

> > like my old self again. It scares me a little to

> > think I'll be going off of it. What if the pain

> > comes back. The plaquenil supposedly takes up to 12

> > weeks to get into your system so hopefully it will

> > do the trick by the time I come off the prednisone.

> > Did you notice the pain come back when you went off?

> >

> > I'm on Celebrex, 200 mg twice a day and placquenil,

> > 200 mg twice a day and the prednisone 5mg. I was

> > taking the prednisone at night but was having such

> > trouble sleeping, I switched to morning as of today.

> > Hopefully, that will help.

> >

> > I'm not familiar with C-Reactive protein. What is

> > exactly is that and what does that tell the doctor?

> > It's good you aren't having nausea with the

> > methotrexate. It sounds like a lot of people are

> > taking that particular drug. Is it just a matter of

> > personal preference on the doctor's part, or do

> > certain drugs work better for certain symptoms?

> >

> > Thanks again for sharing. Hope you're having a

> > nice, pain-free day!

>

>

>=====

>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Rose DeNicola

>Coordinator, Fauquier County's Promise

>73 E. Lee Street, Box 22; Warrenton, VA 20186

>Phone: (540) 347-7000, Fax: (540) 347-4732

>www.fauquier.americaspromise.org

>Fauquier County's Promise ... We're Pulling Our Weight

>

>__________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Is the NY clinic associated with Dr. Goldberg? How do they differ? My

son is 6 and is PDD and has lyme disease. We have tried to mimic the protocol

on our own - the diet - anti-virals, we tried Celexa for a while,

anti-fungals, and he is now on Strattera.

He has some good functional language, follows directions and is writing

words and reading some site words. We want to take him to the next level. We

can't get to California so we would like to know more about the NY option.

Any advice?

Thanks

Helene

we live in NYCity