Re: Prednisone, Osteoporosis, Imuran etc.

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for saying nice things about me. I've spent so many months

gathering information about liver disease, it seems only fair to share it.

Another cat story. Just a few days ago I splurged on a Microsoft

IntelliMouse. They're extremely expensive, considering it's possible to

buy a perfectly good mouse for almost nothing. This afternoon my " mouse "

went dead and I discovered that Angie, our little desert derelict cat had

chewed through the cable/cord. I called MS to find out if I could replace

the cord, figuring I'd probably have to buy a new mouse, and they said that

since I'd just bought it a few days ago they'd replace it for nothing! I

think that they were amused by the idea that my cat had killed my mouse.

Very nice of them to do that, under any circumstances, because the mouse

was functioning beautifully until Angie put it out of it's misery.

I've seen and heard about animals strong bond to ill family members. It's

almost as though they are watching over us. Did you know that often a dog

that lives in a multi-pet household will wash an area of another animal's

body that's injured or where a tumor is developing? Also, there is

something in a dog's saliva that has " healing " qualities, at least for

other animals. We used to have a dog that would try to nibble away a

callous on my foot if she could catch me without my shoes. She was very

gentle, but it was as though she didn't think it belonged there and she was

trying to get rid of it for me.

I also had blood tests frequently when I first started taking Imuran. I

was still so sick I didn't know or care whether the tests were to see if

the Imuran was causing harm or what. I'm really grateful that it worked as

well for me as it did. I realize, of course, that the jury is still out as

far as possible damage is concerned.

I don't know what's going to happen with me and Prednisone. Fifteen months

ago when I had my first bone density test during pre-transplant evaluation,

the results showed that I was 120% of the expected value for women my age

and 101% of the normal value for young adult females. In other words, I

had exceptionally good bone density. At the time, I'd been taking

Prednisone for only 2 months.

Yesterday I got the results from a bone density test done last Friday. My

bone density is now only 97% of normal for women my age. In other words,

I've lost 23% bone density in 15 months. The report says that I have signs

of early osteoporosis and am now a moderate risk for osteoporotic

compression deformaties. This, to me, is a frightening loss in just over

one year.

I've had months of bone and joint pain which I've attributed to Prednisone

withdrawal. Now I wonder if that's all it is. I've done all of the things

we're told to do to prevent osteoporosis, including being on hormones for

most of my adult life and taking both calcium and vitamin D. I also have

only been taking 10 mgs and less Prednisone for the past year.

My concern is, what will happen if I wean off Prednisone and have an AIH

relapse? Do I go back on Prednisone and risk being crippled for the rest

of my life or do I not go back on Prednisone and risk death from liver

failure? The report also says that I'm " below the fracture threshold " .

I'm not sure if that means that I'm not yet at risk for fractures or if I'm

now at increased risk. I faxed copies of my bone density test from March

of 1998 to my new Rheumatologist and now I'm waiting to find out what will

happen next. My grandmother had osteoporosis so severe that she spent the

latter part of her life in bed. Just bumping into furniture resulted in

hip fractures. Scary, isn't it?

Take care,

Geri

[Guest guest]

>From: Geri Spang <spangs@...>

>Reply- onelist

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>Subject: Re: [ ] Prednisone, Osteoporosis, Imuran etc.

>Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 02:06:36 -0700

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hi geri and all

does anyone know if prednisone is given to diabetics with liver disease?

Still waiting for cat scan and biopsy.

Thank you to all who responded to my previous questions.

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>From: Geri Spang <spangs@...>

>

>,

>Thanks for saying nice things about me. I've spent so many months

>gathering information about liver disease, it seems only fair to share it.

>

>Another cat story. Just a few days ago I splurged on a Microsoft

>IntelliMouse. They're extremely expensive, considering it's possible to

>buy a perfectly good mouse for almost nothing. This afternoon my " mouse "

>went dead and I discovered that Angie, our little desert derelict cat had

>chewed through the cable/cord. I called MS to find out if I could replace

>the cord, figuring I'd probably have to buy a new mouse, and they said that

>since I'd just bought it a few days ago they'd replace it for nothing! I

>think that they were amused by the idea that my cat had killed my mouse.

>Very nice of them to do that, under any circumstances, because the mouse

>was functioning beautifully until Angie put it out of it's misery.

>

>I've seen and heard about animals strong bond to ill family members. It's

>almost as though they are watching over us. Did you know that often a dog

>that lives in a multi-pet household will wash an area of another animal's

>body that's injured or where a tumor is developing? Also, there is

>something in a dog's saliva that has " healing " qualities, at least for

>other animals. We used to have a dog that would try to nibble away a

>callous on my foot if she could catch me without my shoes. She was very

>gentle, but it was as though she didn't think it belonged there and she was

>trying to get rid of it for me.

>

>I also had blood tests frequently when I first started taking Imuran. I

>was still so sick I didn't know or care whether the tests were to see if

>the Imuran was causing harm or what. I'm really grateful that it worked as

>well for me as it did. I realize, of course, that the jury is still out as

>far as possible damage is concerned.

>

>I don't know what's going to happen with me and Prednisone. Fifteen months

>ago when I had my first bone density test during pre-transplant evaluation,

>the results showed that I was 120% of the expected value for women my age

>and 101% of the normal value for young adult females. In other words, I

>had exceptionally good bone density. At the time, I'd been taking

>Prednisone for only 2 months.

>

>Yesterday I got the results from a bone density test done last Friday. My

>bone density is now only 97% of normal for women my age. In other words,

>I've lost 23% bone density in 15 months. The report says that I have signs

>of early osteoporosis and am now a moderate risk for osteoporotic

>compression deformaties. This, to me, is a frightening loss in just over

>one year.

>

>I've had months of bone and joint pain which I've attributed to Prednisone

>withdrawal. Now I wonder if that's all it is. I've done all of the things

>we're told to do to prevent osteoporosis, including being on hormones for

>most of my adult life and taking both calcium and vitamin D. I also have

>only been taking 10 mgs and less Prednisone for the past year.

>

>My concern is, what will happen if I wean off Prednisone and have an AIH

>relapse? Do I go back on Prednisone and risk being crippled for the rest

>of my life or do I not go back on Prednisone and risk death from liver

>failure? The report also says that I'm " below the fracture threshold " .

>I'm not sure if that means that I'm not yet at risk for fractures or if I'm

>now at increased risk. I faxed copies of my bone density test from March

>of 1998 to my new Rheumatologist and now I'm waiting to find out what will

>happen next. My grandmother had osteoporosis so severe that she spent the

>latter part of her life in bed. Just bumping into furniture resulted in

>hip fractures. Scary, isn't it?

>Take care,

>Geri

>

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

HI Geri...

I know what you mean about the bone density test results. Ty had that test a

couple of years ago and at 14 yrs old they said he had very low

density....Putting him at risk for fractures and breaks....So far he has had

some very bad bone bruises(which is bone specalist said is harder to heal

than a break) that was over 2 years ago and he still has an actual bruise on

his leg where this happened. My main worry with a break with him is he is

just over 5 foot tall and I'm sure has some growing to do...If the break is

bad it may not continue to grow at the proper rate...Just one more thing to

worry about...

Lets hope everyones tests are good and we all have a nice week-end...

We too have some crazy but loving animals...Could go on forever with stories

about their antics....LOL...They are a blessing to have around....

Luanne Ty's mom

[Guest guest]

,

I am so far behind in reading e-mail, including personal stuff from family

and friends! Anyhow, if no one else replied, sometimes Prednisone can

bring on diabetes, though usually elevated glucose induced that way is

" false " , i.e., temporary, or so everyone tried to convince me. However, a

number of people in this group have developed the real thing while on

Prednisone. Since many of us have to take Prednisone to stay alive and

relatively well, if we happened to have diabetes and it was contraindicated

for diabetics, that would be a real dilemma. Not a very good answer, I

know. My glucose has been elevated since before I started taking

Prednisone but for some reason doctors failed to tell me to fast before

having labs done, so I don't know if the elevated glucose was accurate.

Take care,

Geri