prednisone

[carries]

Hi Randy! One more thing….I highly suggest Fish Oil. My dr has me on 4000mg a day. I get mine from GNC. The triple strength. Not sure if you know this but it is a natural antiinflammatory. It took about a year to really see the effects but it was so worth it!!! I didnt want to be on any NSAIDS…..

[randyremote]

Glad you are feeling better, frhorngal, good luck to all of us.
Thanks Carrie and Kim for your valuable information.
Aside: I actually switched off Prednisone to hydrocortisone (cortisol) taken in 4 divided doses during the day, after reading Safe Uses of Cortisol by Wm Mck. Jeffries.
He says it is bioidentical (pred is synthetic) and released over time is more like the way your body does it. He is talking about small doses, 5mg ideally, 10 max (pred equivelent). I've been on this for 2 weeks, it doesn't work quite as well, but feels less hard on my body.
If you are forced to take prednisone, I recommend this book-even though it is expensive and only available from publisher ccthomas.
I did not know about the added danger of Lyme and steroids, and that gives me more incentive to find a way off of them.

frhorngal, do you play the french horn?

[Carrie-RA]

Hi Carrie,

Nice name   I'm also originally from Ohio (Cincinnati area), but now in Va.

I have been on Minocin since April (100mg, MWF), but have been feeling worse. I asked the doc for Prednisone to get down some new, alarming swelling in my feet which is affecting my ability to walk/exercise. I am concerned about taking Prednisone, but see you had some success with it. Does it dilute the ability for the Minocin to work? I'm also trying to figure out if I should raise my Minocin dose. I'm on my own with this as my doc doesn't believe or support; she just writes the scripts I ask for (at least that's something).

I see you are still taking Plaquinil with your Minocin. Didn't know you could do that. Do you feel it helps a lot?

[carries]

Hi carrie!! Your taking mino….I would up your dose really slow for example here is how I got up to 200mg on MWF.

Week 1: 1 pill in am MWF

Week 2: 1 pill in am  MWF

Week 3: 1 pill in am  MWF

Week 4: 1 pill in am and 1pill in pm on Monday, 1pill in am  on W & F.

Week 5: 1 pill in am and 1 pill in pm on Mon. & Wed, 1pill in am on F.

Week 6: 1 pill in am and 1 pill in pm on MWF.

Then continue the 2 pills  on MWF as your dosage for the duration of this medication.

*****now you have already been on this so I would start monday or even tomorrow with week 4….since you have already done week1-3 for a while now.

 

As far as the prednisone if your were perscribed it….take it. If you are inflammed the mino is not going to work as effectively…bc it cant penetrate deep and work effectively. My dr had me on a low dose of 5mg. After I felt the mino was really working at month 6 I started to taper off….but I did it very slow…by the 0.25mg.

My dr told me 5mg is a low safe dose. Believe me….he doesnt like the stuff ….but was okay with giving me 5mg. I had no side effects other than when I was tapering off my hair was thinning….nothing crazy but I did notice it…..so that is why I take prenatal vitamins for the folic acid….

I would just try to taper down as soon as you feel the mino is working.

Yes, I have been on plaquinil for on and off 10 years. My dr says he will have me on that for life. So I couldnt tell you if it helps…..It did years ago….on its own…but now It needs some help from other meds like mino. Just the fact that my rheumy is allowing me to take the mino I will listen to him and take the plaquinil. I dont have any side effects from it anyways.

How much pred does your dr want to put you on???

[Carrie-RA]

UPDATE Aug 2010 – So I've cut back my Prednisone as far as I'm wiling at this stage. Taking 1/2 5mg tablet every day (guess that's .25mg then). I am hesitant to give it up totally because prednisone is the ONLY thing I've taken that has taken away enough pain and given me enough energy to start working out again on a regular basis. I love that!

I am, however, starting to have acid stomach most days, and I'm worried about doing damage to my stomach.  Here is my med routine:

Daily in the a.m. on empty stomach (usually with my coffee):

.25mg prednisone

Meloxicam

MWF: 100mg Biaxin, one in mid morning around 2hrs after bfast and one in the eve before bed.

Besides the stomach pain, I've had no other issues. I've started taking Tagament as needed for the acid stomach.

Thoughts?

[reesak]

Just a thought – wouldn't take anything with coffee and might want to stop drinking the coffee.

 

ReesaK

[carries]

Hi Carrie! IF I am not mistaken you are taking 2.5 mg of pred correct??? That is great that you are lowering your dose. I was on 5mg for a year or so. I am now pred free!!! You can do it…just take your time thats what i did. I lowered it 0.25mg every two weeks. I was achy after getting off of it..and even when i would lower it each week..but after a few days my body would adjust and i was fine. I do wake up achy in the morning but as soon as i move around i am good to go for the day!!!  I take zantac to protect my stomache from meds….are you taking probiotics??

I tried Biaxin before mino…..that tore up my stomache too….especially if I was out the night before and had some wine or other beverages. I would definitely continue to take the tagamet to help protect your tummy. The pred never did anything for my stomache….but the biaxin did. Is there a reason you are on that instead of mino??

[justsaynoemore]

Yes, I have had great success recently with low dose Pred and minocin.  I was on a long 6 week weanoff, starting with 1 4mg for 5 days, then one 1/2 every day for a week, then 1/2 every other day for a week, something like this.  Took 6 weeks, and weeks later I am still holding the results and its continuing after stopping.  The rheumy is really pleased. 

[heatherbell]

Hi Carrie,

I am of the belief that prednisone should be taken with food – that was my doc says?  Maybe that is what is upsetting your stomach.  Good luck with it!

[YG]

Dear Carries & AP friends,

I start AP in Jan 2010 and after lots of inflammation and flare, I start take Pred in feb 2010 due to very tough flare and can't live like a human. A GP doctor told me to take Pred to control the inflammation. I start with 10mg/day.

I was trying generic Mino, doxy, erithromycin for a few months with Pred and weaning till 5mg/day in AM. After that in end June i cut down to 2.5mg and that time was so tough and flare, can't even walk properly, fingers were so swollen. I also try 1 course of Clyndamycin IVs.  That time was so difficult and i increase to 10mg (5mg AM and 5mg PM). 

Last week, i reduce Pred to 8.75mg now (5mg AM and 3.75mg PM) with Vibramycin (other brand of original doxy, Fyi, i can't find original Mino in my country), and i am planning to cut down to 7.5mg day in this 2 days.

I am now at least can move around and do some daily work and job. Just a few hours in a day i feel my joint stiffness,my fingers are still swollen (middle joint).

May i know if i want to tapper down Pred, should i tapper the pred in the PM (eg. 5mg AM, 2.5mg PM, reduce the PM until 0?) or should i tapper the dosage in AM and PM together?

When should i take Pred alternate day? I remember some of the post say 10mg/day for alternate day. 

I have no AP doctor to prescribe med to me, i just buy med myself with AP friends sharing. The rheumy here all deny AP and they prescribe MTX.

Hope you will share with me.

YG

 

[Carrie-RA]

Update: I have stopped the Prednisone after being at 2.5mg for a while. My pain came back in spades, specifically in my feet. I am having trouble walking now.  I really miss the Prednisone, but I've already lost 3 lbs since being off it for just over a week. I was gaining weight FAST on that stuff. But now I'm not working out again (too painful). I can barely walk my down for a block. I'm NOT in a good place right now.

AY, I'm not sure how to tell you to ween down. Besically, I cut the pills in half (2.5g), and then later cut those in half. I was only taking it in the morning.

 

[frhorngal]

erg…I went to my GP looking for a cortisone shot (due to severe ankle swelling) and walked out with a script of a 60mg prednisone taper…argh…don't want to get back in the pred cycle but nervous about not being able to walk. Plus colder weather is coming and I'll need to wear real shoes soon

RA/Lyme: 100mg Minocin (brand) MWF, 3mg LDN, 10mg CBD- BID

[YG]

Hi,
i guess you try to tapper down too much, if we refer carries's post, she tapper very little 0.25mg every weaning.

i can understand if have to take high prednisone all over again and the weaning cycle, its very reluctant to us.
The most i take every is 10 mg/day, (5mg Am and Pm).
Now i am on 5mg AM and 2.5mg PM, not really ok yet because i find myself is not flexible and stiffness, pain in the feet too.

hope we all gets better and better and lesser Pred!

YG

[YG]

Hi,justsaynoemore,
may i know now u have any swelling even after stop Pred and getting remission? i really can't wait for the remission coming.

YG

[heatherbell]

YG,

I used to split taking my prednisone am and pm but slowly took less pm until I am now taking it all in the morning.  I am currently taking Linda's advice and taking 6.5 mg one day and 6 mg the next.  I do this for two weeks and then take 6mg for two weeks.  Then you cut down another half – 6mg one day, 5.5mg the next for two weeks and then 5.5mg for two weeks, etc.  Once you get down to 5mg I believe you start cutting down in quarters or three quarters instead of halves.  I started on 30mg last September and started reducing November 2009 so it is a very slow process.  I believe the prednisone does not work for my inflammation now it is just a case of getting my adrenals to start producing their own cortisol again.  All the best.

[Author]

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