prednisone adjustment/fixing a flare

February 7, 2005

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since my last post but decided today

that I get more help from you all than my own rheumatoligist. You'd

be suprised how much I get out of reading the daily post logs

everynight....I need advice. (i know it is just advice, but i truly

believe that we know more about medication adjustment and our best

interest than our drs do sometimes...)

A few weeks ago I tapered down from 8 mg of prednisone to 7 mg of

prednisone. (just before that, I felt great). I flared for about a

week, toughed it out with ibruprofen, hot showers and waited until

my weekly humira shot. The next week felt better than the week

after, felt even better. Was pain free for a few days (thinking

that the taper worked and I worked through the initial hard part).

Now I am flareing everywhere and feel awful. I called in this

morning (it's been horrible for about a week now, so I know I need

to do something to get this under control). Rheumy suggested going

up to 15 mg of prednisone then down every 2 to 3 days......I am

alittle worried because it has taken me forever to even get down to

the 8mg I was just on. But how much is enough to get this flare

under control? I have in the past been able to manage my own

prednisone for the most part, but am so worried I am going to have

to start all over again....I thought about going up to 10 mg first

to see if that helps. I divide my prednisone up to 5 mg in the

morning and 2 mg in the evening (so I could do 5 more this pm and

see if that helps....)

I am on Humira weekly and well now, 7 mg of prednisone.

Anyone?

Thanks in advance for any input.

DeeDee

February 7, 2005

Hi DeeDee,

Sorry that your having such a flare. I also take humira. I went on

the Methotrexate also, a few months ago, and I think it's really

helping me. It seems the Humira works well with MTX.

I did take the prednisone before, but stopped taking it. Just too

many side effects that I didn't like.

You might ask your rhemy about MTX. I will keep you in my prayers,

Tawny

--- In , " deedeegreen78739 " <ddgreen@a...>

wrote:

>

> Hi everyone! It's been awhile since my last post but decided today

> that I get more help from you all than my own rheumatoligist.

You'd

> be suprised how much I get out of reading the daily post logs

> everynight....I need advice. (i know it is just advice, but i

truly

> believe that we know more about medication adjustment and our best

> interest than our drs do sometimes...)

> A few weeks ago I tapered down from 8 mg of prednisone to 7 mg of

> prednisone. (just before that, I felt great). I flared for about

a

> week, toughed it out with ibruprofen, hot showers and waited until

> my weekly humira shot. The next week felt better than the week

> after, felt even better. Was pain free for a few days (thinking

> that the taper worked and I worked through the initial hard part).

> Now I am flareing everywhere and feel awful. I called in this

> morning (it's been horrible for about a week now, so I know I need

> to do something to get this under control). Rheumy suggested going

> up to 15 mg of prednisone then down every 2 to 3 days......I am

> alittle worried because it has taken me forever to even get down to

> the 8mg I was just on. But how much is enough to get this flare

> under control? I have in the past been able to manage my own

> prednisone for the most part, but am so worried I am going to have

> to start all over again....I thought about going up to 10 mg first

> to see if that helps. I divide my prednisone up to 5 mg in the

> morning and 2 mg in the evening (so I could do 5 more this pm and

> see if that helps....)

> I am on Humira weekly and well now, 7 mg of prednisone.

> Anyone?

> Thanks in advance for any input.

> DeeDee

February 7, 2005

Hi Kathy,

Let me know, if you don't mind what they say about uping the

prednisone....I want to go up to control the flare but just enough

for just that, i worry that over doubling my current dose, that may

be excessive and not necessary....

I slept pretty much all weekend as well....poor hubby had to deal

with the 4 and 1 1/2 year olds ..... Hope you are feeling well and

your flare gets better soon.

DeeDee in TX

> i am in a flare too. my rheumi's office just called me, i told

them i had

> thought about calling but i didn't have the energy. she is gonna

talk to the dr

> about raising my prednisone, how strange for them to call today. i

went to bed

> at 7:30 last night. pretty much slept all day and ready to sleep

some more

>

> kathy in il

>

February 7, 2005

dee dee.... i am in no way a DOCTOR but this is what my really nice doctor told

me... when you are on prednisone for a long time, your own glands shut down, so

you need to taper off really slow... like i am taking 2 1/2 mg a day for two

weeks, then everyother day, then off... so if you have been on prednisone and

need to take a higher dose, it is ok, you will still have to taper off the same

way because you have been on it so long... then he said that if you taper off

and then all of a sudden one day flare up! you can higher does fora short time

and then taper off fast... like 20 for 3 days then 10 for three days, the 5 for

3 days then off.... oh i hope i made since...

rae

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