Re: Prednisone and Dosages

[Guest guest]

My Prednisone problem was different. I was started on 40 mg and told to cut back on a schedule, taking 20 mg in the morning and the rest (if any) in the evening. It worked pretty well to 25 mg but at 20 mg I couldn't raise my head to eat until the Prednisone kicked in in the morning. One day of that and I was told to go back to 30 mg. When I started down again I paid closer attention and noticed that at 25 mg I felt pretty rocky in the morning till about 2 hours after my Prednisone dose so at 20 mg I split the dose between morning and evening and it worked OK. I'm finally off Prednisone now but I'm convinced that at least some of us need it morning and night even though others may get by with once a day or even every other day. I wasn't able to go off Prednisone with Methotrexate alone but after adding Remicade at 6 mg/kg I am now off Prednisone. Some of us need to be controlled by a DMARD before we can quit Prednisone. Different DMARDs and different doses work for different people.

I don't remember if you are seeing a Rheumatologist yet but when you do it might be best to call him for this kind of problem even though it is a toll call. People with RA often don't respond in a "normal" manner. Good luck and God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: Jay Bishop

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 9:25 PM

Subject: Prednisone and Dosages

Two weeks ago my Doc asked me to cut back on my daily 7.5 mg of Prednisone to 5 mg every other day for a week. Then 2.5 mg every other day for a week. Then none. He also said that I could increase the dosage on my "on" days if needed, so I went to 10 mg and finally after morning stiffness and pain was back I went to 15 mg every other day. The past 2 mornings I woke up at 4:30 AM in severe pain and had to take a Hydrocodone for the pain.My face has gotten puffy in the past week also, which never happened before. I had no side effects from the original dosage.Today I called him and told him I was going back to the original 7.5 mg daily. I feel like I did when I was first diagnosed in April. I have only been on Prednisone since April 20th.Has any one else had this problem?Thanks, and God Bless,Jay

[Guest guest]

Van,

I haven't seen a Rheumy yet. There are only two available to me in

Anchorage and one will not take VA patients. The other isn't taking

new patients until late August. My appt. is Aug 27th. In the mean

time My Doc has consulted with him and one at the Ak. Native Medical

Center. That is were my dosages and meds came from. So we, Doc and I

are sorta biding our time until. My Doc is kind of afraid of

Prednisone.

Thanks and God Bless

Jay

> My Prednisone problem was different. I was started on 40 mg and

told to cut back on a schedule, taking 20 mg in the morning and the

rest (if any) in the evening. It worked pretty well to 25 mg but at

20 mg I couldn't raise my head to eat until the Prednisone kicked in

in the morning. One day of that and I was told to go back to 30 mg.

When I started down again I paid closer attention and noticed that at

25 mg I felt pretty rocky in the morning till about 2 hours after my

Prednisone dose so at 20 mg I split the dose between morning and

evening and it worked OK. I'm finally off Prednisone now but I'm

convinced that at least some of us need it morning and night even

though others may get by with once a day or even every other day. I

wasn't able to go off Prednisone with Methotrexate alone but after

adding Remicade at 6 mg/kg I am now off Prednisone. Some of us need

to be controlled by a DMARD before we can quit Prednisone. Different

DMARDs and different doses work for different people.

>

> I don't remember if you are seeing a Rheumatologist yet but when

you do it might be best to call him for this kind of problem even

though it is a toll call. People with RA often don't respond in

a " normal " manner. Good luck and God bless.

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Jay Bishop

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 9:25 PM

> Subject: Prednisone and Dosages

>

>

> Two weeks ago my Doc asked me to cut back on my daily 7.5 mg of

> Prednisone to 5 mg every other day for a week. Then 2.5 mg every

> other day for a week. Then none. He also said that I could

increase

> the dosage on my " on " days if needed, so I went to 10 mg and

finally

> after morning stiffness and pain was back I went to 15 mg every

other

> day.

>

> The past 2 mornings I woke up at 4:30 AM in severe pain and had

to

> take a Hydrocodone for the pain.

>

> My face has gotten puffy in the past week also, which never

happened

> before. I had no side effects from the original dosage.

>

> Today I called him and told him I was going back to the original

7.5

> mg daily. I feel like I did when I was first diagnosed in April.

I

> have only been on Prednisone since April 20th.

>

> Has any one else had this problem?

>

> Thanks, and God Bless,

>

> Jay

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jay,

When I first got RA I also had lung problems and was in the hospital not knowing if I would leave vertically or horizontally and not caring all that much. My PCP called in a rheumatologist and an pulmonologist. The rheumatologist started me on 40 mg Prednisone and all the doctors told me to get off it as soon as possible. My pulmonologist impressed my wife by saying "even as we speak the Prednisone is destroying your bones." Of course, that is only one of the adverse side effects of Prednisone. It took me about 16 months to get off Prednisone when a combination of Methotrexate and Remicade worked for me. Before that I couldn't function without it.

My main point in my earlier post is that not everyone reacts the same way and the prescribed schedule may be right for the average person but really none of us is actually average. I needed Prednisone twice a day when the average person only needed it once a day. You may not be able to tolerate a dose every other day and you may be able to reduce your total Prednisone intake by taking smaller doses twice a day. My rheumatologist let me adjust when I took Prednisone to fit my body but wanted to control the total amount per day. Maybe something similar would work for you. Good luck and God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: Jay Bishop

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 11:47 PM

Subject: Re: Prednisone and Dosages

Van,I haven't seen a Rheumy yet. There are only two available to me in Anchorage and one will not take VA patients. The other isn't taking new patients until late August. My appt. is Aug 27th. In the mean time My Doc has consulted with him and one at the Ak. Native Medical Center. That is were my dosages and meds came from. So we, Doc and I are sorta biding our time until. My Doc is kind of afraid of Prednisone.Thanks and God BlessJay> My Prednisone problem was different. I was started on 40 mg and told to cut back on a schedule, taking 20 mg in the morning and the rest (if any) in the evening. It worked pretty well to 25 mg but at 20 mg I couldn't raise my head to eat until the Prednisone kicked in in the morning. One day of that and I was told to go back to 30 mg. When I started down again I paid closer attention and noticed that at 25 mg I felt pretty rocky in the morning till about 2 hours after my Prednisone dose so at 20 mg I split the dose between morning and evening and it worked OK. I'm finally off Prednisone now but I'm convinced that at least some of us need it morning and night even though others may get by with once a day or even every other day. I wasn't able to go off Prednisone with Methotrexate alone but after adding Remicade at 6 mg/kg I am now off Prednisone. Some of us need to be controlled by a DMARD before we can quit Prednisone. Different DMARDs and different doses work for different people.> > I don't remember if you are seeing a Rheumatologist yet but when you do it might be best to call him for this kind of problem even though it is a toll call. People with RA often don't respond in a "normal" manner. Good luck and God bless.> ----- Original Message ----- > From: Jay Bishop > Rheumatoid Arthritis > Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 9:25 PM> Subject: Prednisone and Dosages> > > Two weeks ago my Doc asked me to cut back on my daily 7.5 mg of > Prednisone to 5 mg every other day for a week. Then 2.5 mg every > other day for a week. Then none. He also said that I could increase > the dosage on my "on" days if needed, so I went to 10 mg and finally > after morning stiffness and pain was back I went to 15 mg every other > day. > > The past 2 mornings I woke up at 4:30 AM in severe pain and had to > take a Hydrocodone for the pain.> > My face has gotten puffy in the past week also, which never happened > before. I had no side effects from the original dosage.> > Today I called him and told him I was going back to the original 7.5 > mg daily. I feel like I did when I was first diagnosed in April. I > have only been on Prednisone since April 20th.> > Has any one else had this problem?> > Thanks, and God Bless,> > Jay> > >