Wellness

[brii]

On 6/7/2014 Ford1224 said:

On 6/7/2014 brii said:

Ford, I copied your quote. That's a powerful message.

Thanks, brii . . . I am quite melancholy today.

It's something my mother would have said.

(((Ford)))

[Puggie]

Oh please don't stop taking it. You need it to keep your lungs open. Bad things can happen if you stop it suddenly. I have been on it for 11 years. I had severe COPD and was blessed with a lung transplant in May, 2012. I am still on prednisone. It has caused severe osteoporosis, I just had to have cataract surgery in both eyes, it does make you hungry and gain weight. BUT it does help you breathe.

I am also on anti-rejection medications. The combo of the prednisone and these meds have really messed up my metabolism. I feel if I even look at food my body thinks I ate it and I gain weight. I have gone into septic shock 3 times since the transplant due to the anti-rejection meds causing my white count to go very low. They are going to start a new med to help keep this from happening, but the prednisone will be in my daily meds for the rest of my life.

I am so grateful that I am here and can breathe. We can handle a few bumps in the road along the way. Has your doctor suggested getting on the transplant list? As a nurse, you know it is not an easy process and you have to jump through hoops, so to speak. A lot of testing is involved.

[LilacTree]

On 6/7/2014 brii said:

On 6/7/2014 Ford1224 said:

On 6/7/2014 brii said:

Ford, I copied your quote. That's a powerful message.

Thanks, brii . . . I am quite melancholy today.

It's something my mother would have said.

(((Ford)))

Well, we teach by example whether we are aware of it or not, or whether we vocalize it or not. I was unaware for a long time that everything I did was registering with my four daughters (in different ways, as they are all different). It's only since I have gotten old and, yes, sick, that I have realized what an asset it is for them to have witnessed my long journey. I recently complimented my youngest on how she handled a negative situation she was in, and she said something to the effect of "well, where do you think I learned that?" She could have told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world and it wouldn't have meant as much.

I'm glad that what I said reminded you of your mother, brii.

[Lucky Charm]

On 6/7/2014 Puggie said:

Oh please don't stop taking it. You need it to keep your lungs open. Bad things can happen if you stop it suddenly. I have been on it for 11 years. I had severe COPD and was blessed with a lung transplant in May, 2012. I am still on prednisone. It has caused severe osteoporosis, I just had to have cataract surgery in both eyes, it does make you hungry and gain weight. BUT it does help you breathe.

I am also on anti-rejection medications. The combo of the prednisone and these meds have really messed up my metabolism. I feel if I even look at food my body thinks I ate it and I gain weight. I have gone into septic shock 3 times since the transplant due to the anti-rejection meds causing my white count to go very low. They are going to start a new med to help keep this from happening, but the prednisone will be in my daily meds for the rest of my life.

I am so grateful that I am here and can breathe. We can handle a few bumps in the road along the way. Has your doctor suggested getting on the transplant list? As a nurse, you know it is not an easy process and you have to jump through hoops, so to speak. A lot of testing is involved.

How lucky for you to have gotten transplanted!! What a bright spot in this thread. I always wondered if COPD patients could get listed for lungs.

I don't want to turn this thread in the wrong direction, but organ transplants and organ donation is something that is near and dear to my heart. I volunteer with mainly liver and kidney transplant patients. And now they are doing pancreas transplants. It's miraculous!

As we all know, kidneys can be donated through live donors and so can livers. A liver donor can donate up to about 70% of their liver and it will grow back to almost full size!

And about the prednisone use for transplant patients, it is a very high dose given at the beginning. I don't think anyone here even wants to know how high it is, but it's part of the anti rejection regime and it does go down eventually and usually tapers off completely.

How wonderful for you to have been given the gift of life and I wish you the very best recovery. I hope you pass the word on to others to offer their organs to someone who may need them when they no longer do!

[rj167]

On 5/31/2014 focksie said:

It is a very potent and dangerous drug. I would find out if there are any alternatives for your medical issue. I always research drugs that I have been prescribed before taking them (even prescription vitamin D, which I started a thread about!) then if I have questions, I go back to my doctor or pharmacist and ASK.

You cannot stop prednisone cold turkey so make sure if you decide to stop, to check with your doctor about how to be weaned off of it. It can have devastating effects if you just stop it.

I know I'm late with reply but DON'T STOP TAKING COLD TURKEY!

[Madame Lorrraine]

Wow...having read most of the posts on this thread I'm shocked; mostly because I thought my reaction to prednisone was extreme but evidently not, judging from what many of you are going/have gone through.

I've been on it for about 6 weeks and have tapered off. But my temper is still hair-trigger and I hope that will go away soon. I was ravenous all the time and I packed on about 10 lbs. (which on my frame, really shows); I was hot and sweaty constantly and if it hadn't been for Ambien, I would have been completely unable to sleep.

I still haven't shaken off all the side effects and now I'm wondering if I ever will. I see my doctor on Monday and we're going to have a talk about this.

[Puggirl]

Miracle drug when you need it......just hope you can substitute something else long term.

[Gooday]

On 6/7/2014 Puggie said:

Oh please don't stop taking it. You need it to keep your lungs open. Bad things can happen if you stop it suddenly. I have been on it for 11 years. I had severe COPD and was blessed with a lung transplant in May, 2012. I am still on prednisone. It has caused severe osteoporosis, I just had to have cataract surgery in both eyes, it does make you hungry and gain weight. BUT it does help you breathe.

I am also on anti-rejection medications. The combo of the prednisone and these meds have really messed up my metabolism. I feel if I even look at food my body thinks I ate it and I gain weight. I have gone into septic shock 3 times since the transplant due to the anti-rejection meds causing my white count to go very low. They are going to start a new med to help keep this from happening, but the prednisone will be in my daily meds for the rest of my life.

I am so grateful that I am here and can breathe. We can handle a few bumps in the road along the way. Has your doctor suggested getting on the transplant list? As a nurse, you know it is not an easy process and you have to jump through hoops, so to speak. A lot of testing is involved.

God bless you! My DH had a kidney transplant in 2006. At first he was on two anti rejection drugs but not Prednisone. Two years ago he had a biopsy that revealed verrrry early rejection and that's when the Prednisone was added. It has spiked his blood sugars to the point he now has to take an injection once a week. His A1C was 9! Added to that, he broke out in shingles 4 years ago and has permanent nerve damage in his left upper extremity for which he takes Lyrica.

Anyway, the weight is not a problem for him but he does have a permanent moon face. He will need to be on it the rest of his life. He has blessedly make it to 68 years of age and he feels "whatever it takes".

[NYwoman]

I have taken prednisone for short periods of time for severe allergies. It is not good to take it long term or in high doses because it leads to bone loss leading to joint replacements. I have known people with lupus who had bad mood swings on it.

It is given during chemotherapy in large doses. I would not take it unless there were absolutely NO other alternatives. And NEVER stop it abruptly. You will get bad side effects from that. It is a drug that is gradually given and just as gradually stopped.

[Bobbi sue]

Update: I finished the med yesterday. I'm done with it and will never allow the Dr. to put me on it again. I was diagnosed on Tuesday with fluid behind my retina. I don't know if the med caused it or not.

Thank you for your many posts. They were very helpful....