Re: Steroids (Prednisone)

[Guest guest]

Dear Rick:

You are the only person I have heard of that has a problem similar to mine.

I have been on prednisone for about 20 years. I don't take as much as you do

although sometimes it has been higher than what I am taking now. I take only

5 Mg but I can't get below or off of it. If I try to I get very wheezy and

can't get out of bed or walk and have extreme pain. With the 5 Mg I still have

severe shortness of breath when I walk and get out of breath so easily I have

to sit down. I can't walk very far either only about 20 - 30 feet before I

get overcome. I have been to a lung specialist in Philadelphia and he told me

that I have Atelectasis. Which is a condition where the lungs don't expand as

much as they should and not enough for my body. He said the prednisone has

caused this because they caused the ribs to push the lungs so they can't expand

right. He said I should try to loose weight since I weigh 200 lbs. However,

it is not too easy to do when one is on prednisone, even as little as I take.

Anyway I use my inhaler when I get overcome which helps but doesn't prevent

it from happening. I do have Asthma too but the Atelectasis is not Asthma.

They are two different things.

Well, I hope to hear from you. It is interesting to know there is someone

else with this same problem. I thought I was the only one.

I did hear about something that may help. I am not sure but it has been said

that Viagra

may help pulmonary fibrosis, and since this is similar it may help us. I

don't know for sure. Testing is still being done on this.

Sincerely,

Colletti

Anjillah@...