Success with cortisteriod

[Guest guest]

Hi Guys,

This is really strange to me, but went to my family doc as I had a

cold that wouldn't go away. Turns out that I had brochitis and a sinus

infection. He put me on methylprednisolone along with antibiotics and

cough syrup. I think that the methylprednisolone, which I believe is a

cortisteriod, has helped the RA! I feel better and have more energy

than I've had in a long time. My only complaint is with my left knee,

but that has osteoarthritis so that issue will never go away. Anyone

one else had this kind of positive reaction? I'd love to go into

remission and hopefully this is step one. Wouldn't it be nice to be

the person we were before RA? Can't wait to tell my Rhuemmy about this!

Meg in Mo

[Guest guest]

> the person we were before RA? Can't wait to tell my Rhuemmy about this!

Your Rhuemmy already knows. This is exactly what we would expect to

happen when you take any of the glucocorticoids.

Glucocorticoids are wonderful drugs for short term problems like acute

inflamation of a sinus infection. However they are plagued with

dangerous side effects when taken long term, as is often necessary to

manage autoimmune disorders. That said, sometimes the benefits do

outweight the risks / side effects, however the Glucocorticoids are

often one of the last choices for a long term medication that a

rheummy will use.

However, on the bight side, it is still worth talking to your rheummy

about this, it is possiable that a short 2 to 3 week corse of a

glucocorticoid will calm things down enough to bump you into a

remission period without causing you to endure and of the really

miserable side effects (such as severe weight gain, calcium wasting

leading to bone fractures, etc.)

Best of luck, sorry to be the one to tell you that these are not the

best option for many cases of RA, but it is worth discussing and maybe

able to be used in your case. Just don't be to willing to sign up for

taking them every day, even if they help you a lot. The side effects

from them will KILL you, there is no debating that, it will take some

time, but it will happen over time. They basically run your aspects

of your body in over drive and accelerate the ageing process.

I know how tempting it is to take them all the time. When I take them

Much of my joint pain goes away, my migrianes go away, my energy level

goes up, I sleep better, and I just feel more normal.