Re: Prednisone is a nightmare.

RE5Member

I've been on 10mg Pred for about 6 months now. Doctor wanted me to to alternate between 10 and 7.5mg. I started Monday and since then wow .... The difference between such a low dose difference is incredible. Starting to get mild stomach pain, crampy, gassy and I just feel generally exhausted. I'm an avid Bodybuilder so I'm used to having plenty of energy and strength. I've been on and off the Pred since I've been young and I have always had such a hard time getting off of it but, each time I go back on it the doses that flare me become higher and higher. Anyone else had this problem? My GI doesn't really know what to do so I figured I'd see if anyone else had this problem and resolved it. Only other medicine I'm on is 100mg Azathioprine.

11/24/1511:44 PM

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Scott FMember

Can you tell us what the GI is treating with the prednisone? A flare of what? That would make any suggested alternatives much better targeted.

11/24/1511:50 PM

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RE5Member

Well I've been on the duo of Aza / prednisone about 5 months now. I couldn't even get off of a 30mg dose of Pred before the Aza but, with it I've been able to taper, slowly. The Prednisone was literally the only medicine that would control my inflammation / stomach pain etc. Humira / Remicade / Asacol / Pentassa have all failed me.

11/25/1512:23 AM

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Jan DollarModerator, RN, retired

Do you have pouchitis, Crohn's, or what? How about transitioning from prednisone to budesonide (Entocort)? It is a poorly absorbed oral steroid, so you have more of a topical effect and much less of a systemic one.

I am not surprised by your symptoms, as you are probably experiencing steroid withdrawal, with some adrenal insufficiency. One of the risks of long term prednisone use.

Jan

11/25/151:56 AM

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CTBarristerMember

I thought that in 2015 Entocort is always prescribed before Prednisone to treat Crohn's or Pouchitis. It's a designer drug with less side effects. Since Entocort became widely approved and used I have never heard of Prednisone being attempted before Entocort to treat Crohn's or Pouchitis.

11/25/159:33 AM

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RE5Member

Yeah I have Crohn's with the good ol J-pouch. I swear up and down I have pouchitis but, my GI Doctor isn't exactly listening to anything I say. I also think I have some sort of antibiotic resistant pouchitis since some symptoms clear up when I take metro / cipro. I think I might be at the point where I will have to travel to a GI that specializes in pouches because I'm not getting anywhere with the GI doc I have.

11/25/153:03 PM

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CTBarristerMember

I would tend to agree, if your GI prescribed prednisone over Entocort for those issues.

11/25/153:04 PM

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Scott FMember

If symptoms clear up on Cipro and/or Flagyl then you don't have "antibiotic resistant" anything. If it won't stay cleared up between courses of antibiotics, then you might have "antibiotic dependent" pouchitis.

11/25/156:33 PM

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