Re: Help: Each day a little worse:

[Guest guest]

Dear Paige:

That's the dilemma of prednisone.

And the choice is yours, not your rheumatologist's.

Do not let a doctor dictate the quality of your life to

satisfy " numbers " on your chart.

This is a choice you must make for yourself.

Quality of life v. quantity of life.

Yes, prednisone has its negatives.

Yes, prednisone has its positives.

Do the research then decide.

I for one, made the choice many years ago, that I would prefer a

better quality of life over a longer quantity of life.

Take care.

Shauna

[Guest guest]

The Prednisone dilemma is always a personal decision. I tried to get off it

after being on it for 15 years at about 10 mg per day, but couldn't do it

because of the added pain it creates. So far, the side effects I'm having

are thin skin that tears easily and some amount of Osteoporosis that may

have happened anyhow. Otherwise, it's more of a blessing for me than a

danger, so I've elected to continue taking it because it does a lot to help

me have a normal life. That's worth the chance of more serious side effects

that I haven't had yet. That's a decision you will have to make, also,

whether to live a better life and have some concern about side effects or

possibly be in constant pain for the rest of your life.

Dennis in Eastexas

" It's not Rocket Surgery "

[ ] Help: Each day a little worse:

> Since I started my taper of Prednisone (my Rheumatologist prescribed it

> for 2 weeks from 10

> mg the first week to 5 mg this week), I'm feeling worse each day. The

> pain is returning.

> Yesterday, I stayed home from work nauseated, every joint aching with flu

> like symptoms. I

> thought maybe I had eaten something that didn't agree with me, but this

> morning I'm feeling

> that " hit by a mack truck " feeling again.

>

> I'm a bit frantic this morning because I don't know what the expect next.

> I'm scheduled to

> see my rheumatologist next Wednesday for follow-up. By then, I'll be

> completely off

> Prednisone for two days. From what I've read from you good people, DMARDS

> take a while to

> work. I have pain meds - that's not the problem. 10 mg of Prednisone

> gave me energy and

> an overall sense of well being where I was able to cope with the pain and

> swelling. I was a

> whirlwind at work. I want that back. I want to feel " good " again - it's

> been such a long time

> getting to that " good " feeling, I feel robbed of it. Yet, at the same

> time, I realize that the side

> effects of Prednisone are not worth it, right?

>

> Paige

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Paige

I am going thru the same thing. I am trying to taper off the prednisone.

It is so hard. I feel for you. My rheumie said if I have problems she may

have to send me to an endocrinologist and I think geez, not yet another doc.

I have been taking it over 3 years though.

I was having blood sugars

going up and lot's of weight gain. Then I have family telling me I should

never

have taken it. They don't understand it hurts so bad getting out of bed you

don't

know if you will make it to the bathroom in the mornings. It's so strange that

something that helps one thing so well can do so much damage to other things.

My doc did put me on voltaren when I was weaning off the prednisone plus

I am on arava,humira and tylenol arthritis. Are you taking anything else to

help?

If you need it you may just have to take it and watch for other side effects

from it.

Like many say here it is a qaulity of life issue but if you can find something

else

that helps I would use that for sure.

Hugs to you!

Joy

Paige <paigec38@...> wrote:

Since I started my taper of Prednisone (my Rheumatologist prescribed

it for 2 weeks from 10

mg the first week to 5 mg this week), I'm feeling worse each day. The pain is

returning.

Yesterday, I stayed home from work nauseated, every joint aching with flu like

symptoms. I

thought maybe I had eaten something that didn't agree with me, but this morning

I'm feeling

that " hit by a mack truck " feeling again.

I'm a bit frantic this morning because I don't know what the expect next. I'm

scheduled to

see my rheumatologist next Wednesday for follow-up. By then, I'll be completely

off

Prednisone for two days. From what I've read from you good people, DMARDS take a

while to

work. I have pain meds - that's not the problem. 10 mg of Prednisone gave me

energy and

an overall sense of well being where I was able to cope with the pain and

swelling. I was a

whirlwind at work. I want that back. I want to feel " good " again - it's been

such a long time

getting to that " good " feeling, I feel robbed of it. Yet, at the same time, I

realize that the side

effects of Prednisone are not worth it, right?

Paige

Joy

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