Wellness

[LilacTree]

On 1/15/2014 graycatsrule said:

I was on it a couple times over the last three years. I am now taking methatrexate instead. I remember the bursts of energy, lack of sleep and a little weight gain. No real side effects.

I have been on this med for almost ten years and have never experienced bursts of energy, I sleep well,* and have not gained weight, no chubby cheeks, etc. However, except for the first few months, I am on a low dose, 10 mgs or under, right now 8 mgs.

I would have enjoyed the extra energy, however, never got it.

I have gotten a lot of other negative side effects though (see my prior post) and I wish I could get off it at this point.

*Hint: If you take it early in the day, it should prevent sleep problems. Of course it depends upon how much you are taking.

[LilacTree]

On 1/15/2014 graycatsrule said:

I was on it a couple times over the last three years. I am now taking methatrexate instead. I remember the bursts of energy, lack of sleep and a little weight gain. No real side effects.

Early in the game I was given MTX and it made me sick as a dog. It is chemotherapy after all, and one of its ingredients is rat poison.

Some don't care about that as long as it's working.

[KLevineFan]

I take 5 mg/day for my RA & have for over 10 years. No side effects. When I had hives, increased dosage (20? or 40? can't recall, it was 5 yrs ago) per my Dr. & they disappeared in days.

[PMS 24-7]

I also take a couple days of 40mgs, 30s 20 and off for my asthma. Couple months later my ear stops up and he puts me on a different combination of 40mg x4' 20mg x2 and off. Now I have sinus infection and he has me 20mgs for 5 days. So my point being is that it is ok to take . Do not stop abruptly. It does make me daffy and I haven't slept in 4 days. But my point is that it is safe with some time in between .with high doses like mine. You will be fine. Eat fresh food fruits and stay away from salt.

[jlkz]

Read the posts about rashes and recalled that I once over indulged on red licorice for a few days. The licorice was made by a small confectioner and must have had an excess of red dye. As I was changing clothes after work, I saw huge long swollen marks where I had been scratching all day. The itching continued all over my body. Prednisone, a short duration, healed me. Needless to say, I stay away from licorice and red jelly candies.

[LilacTree]

On 1/17/2014 KathyLFan said:

I take 5 mg/day for my RA & have for over 10 years. No side effects. When I had hives, increased dosage (20? or 40? can't recall, it was 5 yrs ago) per my Dr. & they disappeared in days.

Have you had a dexa scan? Long term, even low dose prednisone can cause osteoporosis. I know, because I have been on low dose prednisone for RA for almost ten years. As a result I am severely osteoporotic with ten compression fractures of the vertebrae in my back. I recently had kyphoplasty on two of the fractures, and will be at risk for more in my back, plus hip fractures for the rest of my life.

My last dexa (recently) showed scores of -5.1 in my spine and. -4.3 and -4.4 in my hips. I have been told by many doctors that this is a direct result of the prednisone taken so long, even at dosages under 10 mg/day and less.

I am not trying to scare you, but this is something that should be looked into, and if none of your doctors have suggested it, they have been remiss.

[viwanton]

Did you tell your doctor that you are nervous about it? That is a conversation you should have with your doctor.

[sneef]

I was ordered once to take tapering doses of prednisone but mine was started at 40mg x 3 days and decreasing by 5mg every 3 days until gone. 40 mg was way to much for me, I had insomnia, hyper, heart palpations, so I contacted my MD and I was restarted on 20mg with tapering doses, then I had no symptoms. The only real bad side effect with prednisone and long term use is that your bones weaken, but that is not a concern for you since yours is for short term use. I would call him and voice your concerns.