Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Hi Sandie - I, too, was very reluctant to take prednisone and held off for three months of pretty darn bad pain (nearly bedridden, on pain meds constantly just to function minimally). Then I opted to go with the prednisone at the end of April. I started at 40mg for five days, then 30mg for five days, and so on until I was down to 10mg. I eventually went to 10mg every other day, which is where I am for now. I am SO thankful I started the prednisone, as within a few days I was nearly pain-free and actually able to have a more normal life. I was off the serious pain meds within a few days and only take them occasionally when I overdo it or have a flare-up. I was at about six oxycodone a day and that didn't get me anywhere near pain-free. But even after three months I wasn't dependent on them - like I said, it only took a few days to come off of them once the prednisone kicked in. I think that taking these pain meds because you're truly in pain is different from taking them for the high, which is what doctors fear. I still have daily pain, at the 10mg of pred every other day. But it's pain I can handle, unlike before. I know what you mean when you say we just build up a tolerance and learn to live with it. I still have times when I have joints that are really sore and I surely don't move like I used to! But at least I CAN get up and move, which I could barely do a few months ago. Advil helps me too. Most other OTC pain meds don't have much effect on me. I personally think that prednisone, used properly, is no worse than methotrexate (which I refuse to take). I am trying to avoid most of the toxic drugs and am going with an antibiotic protocol instead. I don't have the problems with the suppressed immune system like you get with the other drugs, either, which I really like. I've been very healthy on the antibiotics, other than the RA. No colds, no flu, just the inflammation and pain involved with RA. in Alaska ----- Original Message ----- From: slmcc93@... when I explained to him what happened with his receptionist during my last flare up I then asked what he does when a patient has a flare. He told Me that I need to call the office(which I did) but also that they would walk me thorugh a way to help me. He prescribed Prednisone(That I now have on hand) for 7 days 7 pills the first day and then going down one pill each day til I hit 1 at 7 days. also he wanted to keep me with the darvocet but I explained that just makes me so tired and that with 3 kids 2 of them b abies I just cant do that. I told him the ultram seemed to help so he prescribed that instead. I do have hope that he has my best interest in mind and will continue with him . I asked why he was so against the pain meds and he said some people just want olts of pain meds. I did not even attempt to argue with him( I know the coward that I am ) because he did prescribe me SOMETHING. he does not realize what pain we are in daily. when he asked what my pain level was on a scale of 1 to 10 I said 7 and he said Wow no @#!% . we all deal with pain daily and just build up a tolerance to it. I just want to feel better- not even pain free at this point jsut better. sad isnt it? what we settle for? my question to all you wise people is this? what can I expect from taking doses of prednisone like that? I am a bit worried about it and will take the flare up as long as I can before succumbing to the predinsone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Hi Sandie - I, too, was very reluctant to take prednisone and held off for three months of pretty darn bad pain (nearly bedridden, on pain meds constantly just to function minimally). Then I opted to go with the prednisone at the end of April. I started at 40mg for five days, then 30mg for five days, and so on until I was down to 10mg. I eventually went to 10mg every other day, which is where I am for now. I am SO thankful I started the prednisone, as within a few days I was nearly pain-free and actually able to have a more normal life. I was off the serious pain meds within a few days and only take them occasionally when I overdo it or have a flare-up. I was at about six oxycodone a day and that didn't get me anywhere near pain-free. But even after three months I wasn't dependent on them - like I said, it only took a few days to come off of them once the prednisone kicked in. I think that taking these pain meds because you're truly in pain is different from taking them for the high, which is what doctors fear. I still have daily pain, at the 10mg of pred every other day. But it's pain I can handle, unlike before. I know what you mean when you say we just build up a tolerance and learn to live with it. I still have times when I have joints that are really sore and I surely don't move like I used to! But at least I CAN get up and move, which I could barely do a few months ago. Advil helps me too. Most other OTC pain meds don't have much effect on me. I personally think that prednisone, used properly, is no worse than methotrexate (which I refuse to take). I am trying to avoid most of the toxic drugs and am going with an antibiotic protocol instead. I don't have the problems with the suppressed immune system like you get with the other drugs, either, which I really like. I've been very healthy on the antibiotics, other than the RA. No colds, no flu, just the inflammation and pain involved with RA. in Alaska ----- Original Message ----- From: slmcc93@... when I explained to him what happened with his receptionist during my last flare up I then asked what he does when a patient has a flare. He told Me that I need to call the office(which I did) but also that they would walk me thorugh a way to help me. He prescribed Prednisone(That I now have on hand) for 7 days 7 pills the first day and then going down one pill each day til I hit 1 at 7 days. also he wanted to keep me with the darvocet but I explained that just makes me so tired and that with 3 kids 2 of them b abies I just cant do that. I told him the ultram seemed to help so he prescribed that instead. I do have hope that he has my best interest in mind and will continue with him . I asked why he was so against the pain meds and he said some people just want olts of pain meds. I did not even attempt to argue with him( I know the coward that I am ) because he did prescribe me SOMETHING. he does not realize what pain we are in daily. when he asked what my pain level was on a scale of 1 to 10 I said 7 and he said Wow no @#!% . we all deal with pain daily and just build up a tolerance to it. I just want to feel better- not even pain free at this point jsut better. sad isnt it? what we settle for? my question to all you wise people is this? what can I expect from taking doses of prednisone like that? I am a bit worried about it and will take the flare up as long as I can before succumbing to the predinsone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Sandie, You did the right thing by talking instead of yelling. Don't think you chickened out, you were just being respectful in spite of the fact that your body was screaming in pain and you wanted help. It is common to prescribe prednisone this way to treat flares. I've only done it once for a nasty bout of poison ivy. I hope it helps. a On Aug 9, 2005, at 8:10 PM, slmcc93@... wrote: > Hi all, > Well had my follow up visit with my rheumy today. I was all set to > hit him > with both barrels but am embarrassed to say I chickened out. I so > want to feel > better and decided to try and talk to him instead of yell. I only > have one more > rheumy in my plan so.... > I am responding well to the methotrexate (askide from some hair loss > which is > scaring me as I do not have think hair to begin with) and my > bloodwork shows > everything is fine. the doc upped it to 7 pills a week. I am also > going to > take foltex(sp?) he says it is stronger than the folic acid and > should help with > the hair loss. > when I explained to him what happened with his receptionist during my > last > flare up I then asked what he does when a patient has a flare. He > told Me that I > need to call the office(which I did) but also that they would walk me > thorugh > a way to help me. He prescribed Prednisone(That I now have on hand) > for 7 > days 7 pills the first day and then going down one pill each day til > I hit 1 at 7 > days. also he wanted to keep me with the darvocet but I explained > that just > makes me so tired and that with 3 kids 2 of them b abies I just cant > do that. I > told him the ultram seemed to help so he prescribed that instead. I > do have > hope that he has my best interest in mind and will continue with him > . I asked > why he was so against the pain meds and he said some people just want > olts of > pain meds. I did not even attempt to argue with him( I know the > coward that I > am ) because he did prescribe me SOMETHING. he does not realize what > pain we > are in daily. when he asked what my pain level was on a scale of 1 to > 10 I said > 7 and he said Wow no @#!% . we all deal with pain daily and just > build up a > tolerance to it. I just want to feel better- not even pain free at > this point > jsut better. sad isnt it? what we settle for? > my question to all you wise people is this? what can I expect from > taking > doses of prednisone like that? I am a bit worried about it and will > take the > flare up as long as I can before succumbing to the predinsone. > > hope you all have a pain free night,. > > hugs sandie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Sandie, You did the right thing by talking instead of yelling. Don't think you chickened out, you were just being respectful in spite of the fact that your body was screaming in pain and you wanted help. It is common to prescribe prednisone this way to treat flares. I've only done it once for a nasty bout of poison ivy. I hope it helps. a On Aug 9, 2005, at 8:10 PM, slmcc93@... wrote: > Hi all, > Well had my follow up visit with my rheumy today. I was all set to > hit him > with both barrels but am embarrassed to say I chickened out. I so > want to feel > better and decided to try and talk to him instead of yell. I only > have one more > rheumy in my plan so.... > I am responding well to the methotrexate (askide from some hair loss > which is > scaring me as I do not have think hair to begin with) and my > bloodwork shows > everything is fine. the doc upped it to 7 pills a week. I am also > going to > take foltex(sp?) he says it is stronger than the folic acid and > should help with > the hair loss. > when I explained to him what happened with his receptionist during my > last > flare up I then asked what he does when a patient has a flare. He > told Me that I > need to call the office(which I did) but also that they would walk me > thorugh > a way to help me. He prescribed Prednisone(That I now have on hand) > for 7 > days 7 pills the first day and then going down one pill each day til > I hit 1 at 7 > days. also he wanted to keep me with the darvocet but I explained > that just > makes me so tired and that with 3 kids 2 of them b abies I just cant > do that. I > told him the ultram seemed to help so he prescribed that instead. I > do have > hope that he has my best interest in mind and will continue with him > . I asked > why he was so against the pain meds and he said some people just want > olts of > pain meds. I did not even attempt to argue with him( I know the > coward that I > am ) because he did prescribe me SOMETHING. he does not realize what > pain we > are in daily. when he asked what my pain level was on a scale of 1 to > 10 I said > 7 and he said Wow no @#!% . we all deal with pain daily and just > build up a > tolerance to it. I just want to feel better- not even pain free at > this point > jsut better. sad isnt it? what we settle for? > my question to all you wise people is this? what can I expect from > taking > doses of prednisone like that? I am a bit worried about it and will > take the > flare up as long as I can before succumbing to the predinsone. > > hope you all have a pain free night,. > > hugs sandie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Kathy, It sounds like he hopes the MRI and comparison to your old one will shed some light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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