Guest guest Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 I have been very happy with the effects of the Xolair as indicated in previous posts. I've actually been able to resume a moderate degree of aerobic exercise in the form of jogging, both around the neighborhood and on my treadmill. I'm seeing real improvement in my strength and endurance. Also as a result of the improvement in overall well-being, I cut back on the amount of prednisone I was taking, from 20 mg 4x weekly to 15 mg 4x weekly. I haven't noticed any increase in asthma symptoms since the reduction. Fact is, I don't really take prednisone as a direct result of asthma, but take it for another condition. The asthma improvement was merely a side benefit, and not an insignificant one at that. Since the reduction in prednisone, I have not seen any flare-up in the symptoms of the other condition (a rare blood disorder). What is happening is that I am seeing a slow but steady decline in lung function as measured by FEV1 and PEF readings - now down about 10 - 15% from the peak levels I was seeing about two months ago. I have been tracking this regularly since I started on the Xolair, and I keep a regular diary of my condition. I can actually pinpoint the start of the decline in lung function with the reduction in prednisone. My hematologist tells me that 20 mg of prednisone 4x weekly is not a significant amount for someone of my size, and that I shouldn't worry about it. However, I feel that any amount of prednisone is not necessarily a good thing, especially since I am using Advair 500 2x daily. I'd like to cut the prednisone even further. I don't feel physically bad with the lung function I am seeing, and I'm obviously seeing some improvement in my aerobic ability. Yet I'm concerned that the decline in lung function could have some significant long-term ramifications. Yes, I'll discuss this with my doctor the next time I go for a shot (Feb 3rd) and I'm also interested in hearing some opinions from this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.