Re: A Hard Choice, quitting the drugs

[Guest guest]

So many of you speak of the prednisone therapy. Don't you have any negative side

affects from it? I was on prednisone for 5 yrs with plaquenyl and antibiotics

and the prednisone caused severe depression and mania along with intense weight

gain. I took care of the weight but emotionally I've had a ride ever since. I

never was full blown manic and it is much better with medication, but the

prednisone still scares me now.  I have been taking it recently for short

treatments but it scares me.  The short treatrments add up and it took years

before I was aware of what it did before, too late to save an 8 year

relationship, my career, and my home I owned.  I needed to be on disability due

to the RA anyway so it was a blessing, the relationship probably needed to end,

and perhaps not having a home by myself is a blessing; lol, but it was still

traumatic. Have you or anyone else experienced traumatic results from

prednisone?

ladeyangll

From: lind Gittings <rosalig@...>

Subject: [ ] A Hard Choice, quitting the drugs

Date: Friday, March 4, 2011, 3:43 AM

 

Hi OKD

Have you thought about adding antibiotic therapy to your

methotrexate? It works well for many many people and is very safe

with minimal side effects. It's an anti-inflammatory to some extent

but also seems to attack the cause of many people's immune illnesses

which are stealth bacteria. Some doctors don't believe this theory

but who cares - as long as it works! I've been using it for six years

with quite some success. I still get flares and occasionally use 2mg

prednisone for them for a short time, but otherwise only use tylenol

and minocycline.

I agree with the others, don't come off all your drugs too quickly or

you might go into some kind of withdrawal reactions. It takes a few

months to start working properly but I took prednisone for those

months which controlled the pain and enabled me to work and live

pretty normally. If you want anymore information about finding out

about antibiotic therapy please ask.

Ros

[Guest guest]

I experienced some pretty extreme mood swings on prednisone. I also, could not

sleep for three days the first time it was prescribed. I decided after I was

slowly weaned off of it that I would never use this drug again. The flares have

been rough without it, but I live through it. I have enough side effects from

the Methotrexate that I don't need any others. I was just switched to

injections vs. 20 mg Methotrexate per week. I hope the injectable is easier on

me. Has anyone switched to the injections? Did it lessen any of the side

effects?

Heidi in Denver

________________________________

From: Angll Nyte <ladeyangllfree@...>

Sent: Fri, March 4, 2011 7:46:53 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] A Hard Choice, quitting the drugs

So many of you speak of the prednisone therapy. Don't you have any negative side

affects from it? I was on prednisone for 5 yrs with plaquenyl and antibiotics

and the prednisone caused severe depression and mania along with intense weight

gain. I took care of the weight but emotionally I've had a ride ever since. I

never was full blown manic and it is much better with medication, but the

prednisone still scares me now. I have been taking it recently for short

treatments but it scares me. The short treatrments add up and it took years

before I was aware of what it did before, too late to save an 8 year

relationship, my career, and my home I owned. I needed to be on disability due

to the RA anyway so it was a blessing, the relationship probably needed to end,

and perhaps not having a home by myself is a blessing; lol, but it was still

traumatic. Have you or anyone else experienced traumatic results from

prednisone?

ladeyangll

[Guest guest]

I was on prendisone for a total of 6 days. I was so nasty and manic and felt

like I just hated the world. My son in law who has crohns disease had the same

problem. No more of that for us. It made me like a nasty B........ And my

mild mannered son in law the same. No more

Carol

[Guest guest]

I avoid pred at all costs BUT there are times, like a major flare, when I

have to concede to it. I will take it then, just to get over the flare.

There are sooo many really bad side effects to pred but there are times in

your life when you will need it.

in PA

On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 10:05 AM, em <IM4BUCS2000@...> wrote:

>

>

>

> I was on prendisone for a total of 6 days. I was so nasty and manic and

> felt like I just hated the world. My son in law who has crohns disease had

> the same problem. No more of that for us. It made me like a nasty B........

> And my mild mannered son in law the same. No more

>

> Carol

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Group:

I can relate to what many of you are writing. I don't write often because I

feel I would just depress everybody here. I don't know how many of you keep

your chin up and have such a great attitude. I wish I could. My life has gone

to shit since my diagnosis (March 2009) and I too am sooooo tired of the pills,

shots and more pills. Sometimes, I think the side effects from all of these are

worse than the disease itself. I just want my old life back and I can't have it

and I'm pissed. Sorry, if I offend anybody out there, I just need to vent.

Heidi in Denver

________________________________

From: OKD <Cofade_2000@...>

Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 9:22:49 AM

Subject: [ ] A Hard Choice, quitting the drugs

Hi Group:

I've been fairly sick of late, to rehash a bit: I am convinced the Enbrel has

caused me blood clots in my chest, which caused me to start Coumadin Therapy,

which makes me sick as a dog, so I Quit this week, minimized the drugs, its just

too " mucking fuch " people!!.

I am not ungrateful to Enbrel, thought it was a god-send...but it has a nasty

bite.....maybe it put into enuf of remish for me to continue on. We will see.

I am tapering off of Prednisone (down to 4mgs) and am keeping the Methotrexate

to see how I fare.

I cant look at all these pills anymore folks, I end up taking like 10-15 a day

depending, its crazy, I cant swallow them anymore, I cant tolerate them, I am

tired of vomiting, retching, queasiness, constipation, diarrhea, not being able

to eat my beloved green anything, bleeding. Then the needles....Enuf is enuf.

They are toxic. RA Hurts, flares burn, I do worry about my heart with RA, but

this " alternative " is just as bad.

Conversations like these need to be had, because there HAS to be another way.

Ayurvedic, Alternative Medicines, Gluten-free diet, mild exercise

walking/swimming, mind strenthening exercises for mental fortitude. I know its

different for everyone. I know RA can be crippling too, that is why I am going

to try to keep the Methotrexate and only use Prednisone when needed. I only

have RA for a about 4 years, i went for a long time before I seeked out

treatment too.

I thank God I escaped unscathed from Lymphoma and a heart attack, and I think my

internal organs are having a party now that I am dropping the TOXIC Sludge, I

hope my adrenal glands survived the Prednisone, so far, my bones did before they

became swiss cheese.

OKD

[Guest guest]

I wish I would have reacted so quickly to them, it probably would have saved me

from the permanent damage. They should only be used short term whenever

possible.

ladeyangll

From: em <IM4BUCS2000@...>

Subject: Re: [ ] A Hard Choice, quitting the drugs

Date: Friday, March 4, 2011, 10:05 AM

 

I was on prendisone for a total of 6 days. I was so nasty and manic and felt

like I just hated the world. My son in law who has crohns disease had the same

problem. No more of that for us. It made me like a nasty B........ And my mild

mannered son in law the same. No more

Carol

[Guest guest]

I am bipolar and had been stable for years, but the prednisone sent me back

into cycling again. It led to severe mood swings, deep depression and

unaccountable anger. It also made me gain ten pounds in three weeks. Now I

won't touch the stuff. My mental stability has been too hard won to throw

away on a drug, even if it does make the pain better. (which, sadly, it did-

I have been in great pain ever since stopping it) I simply will not take it.

On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 10:09 AM, McNally <mhm423@...> wrote:

> I avoid pred at all costs BUT there are times, like a major flare, when I

> have to concede to it. I will take it then, just to get over the flare.

> There are sooo many really bad side effects to pred but there are times in

> your life when you will need it.

>

> in PA

>

> On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 10:05 AM, em <IM4BUCS2000@...> wrote:

>

> >

> >

> >

> > I was on prendisone for a total of 6 days. I was so nasty and manic and

> > felt like I just hated the world. My son in law who has crohns disease

> had

> > the same problem. No more of that for us. It made me like a nasty

> B........

> > And my mild mannered son in law the same. No more

> >

> > Carol

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Ros:

Its worth a mention to my Rheumy, so thanks and Check I am gonna do so.

Question: What do they pull out for you if you get an infection? The big gun

antibiotics? Are you resistent? What does Minocycline due to your system?

OKD

[Guest guest]

So what are the traumatic results of prendi? Loss of adrenal glands? Swiss

cheese bones (Osteo?) Heart troubles? I am not sure I want to delve more into

finding out, I have had massive doses pumped into me at times with the clots,

etc...via IV (ok, whew it works, but I dont know the real effects on my body

unless something else breaks off!), I have done rescue packs alot and then been

down from up to 60mgs to 5 slowly tapering). I am now down to 4mgs and

holding......holding being the key.........

OKD

[Guest guest]

Concede is a great word. Yes, I too, have conceded because it does beat the

inflams!

OKD

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/4/2011 8:52:07 A.M. Central Standard Time,

ladeyangllfree@... writes:

So many of you speak of the prednisone therapy. Don't you have any

negative side affects from it? >

Of course, there are negatives from prednisone use. When I first started

out, it kept me awake, my heart beat too fast, I had some 'roid rage. " Each

week, I cut down 5 mg until i got down to 5 mg. I think I'll be on that the

rest of my life. I'm not gaining weight, but my fat is redistributing. It's

all around my middle and my boobs are huge. i bought a blouse and grew out

of it before wearing it.

But I remember what the pain was like before I took it and it's been worth

it for me.

dd