Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Prednisone

Hi Everyone,

I do envy everyone here that your doctors are somewhat aware of AS. I need to get back the mobility in my shoulder and neck.

I took Prednisone only once at 30mg for few days for infusion of my SI joints. I don’t think that I can handle that dosage for long. I am thinking to ask my RA about 5mg or smaller dosage on daily basis so I can get the inflammation down and stay on it for a while.

Is that a good idea?

Thanks,
Ali

no...
steroids are bad
unless you want to play first base for the yankees
aloha Ben

greetings, felicitations, welcome

Ali,
If I were you I'd try anything but steriods. I have been on prednisalone for about 3 years, everytime I try to come off it I flare badly (ended up in hospital last time). My bones are 70% of the density they should be so i have double the chance of breaking my bones than some one my age. On top of that you gain weight a) by retaining fluid and b) because your appetie increases. Have you tried other anti inflammatories? There are heaps out there on the market.
Good luck.
Take care and keep smiling,
Rose

Hi Ali,
I think I was one of the very fortunate few who had good results with prednisone for my SIs. My maintainance dose was very low however, at 10mg every 2nd day. I had no bothersome side effects at that dose, and it was great for me for 2.5 years. It gave my life back to me as DMARDS and NSAIDS weren't doing anything for me - believe me, I tried a heap of meds before resorting to steroid. The crazy thing was, for me, I had better results and less side effects from prednisone than anything else! But that's a bit unusual from what I read on this site. I don't think anyone advocates long-term steroid use, but until something better came along (enbrel), I didn't have another choice.

If you do the prednisone route, I would highly, highly suggest taking some sort of biphosphonate (didrocal, pamidronate, fosamax) and calcium/VitD to maintain your bone density. That was my only mistake!

Take care and good luck,
Megan

Hello, I have tried prednisone 3 times form a family doctor for the wheezing the chest, from a rheumatologist cause nothing else would agree ( and neither did the prednisone) and a third time recently when my eye went blind and the specialist said that i better keep on it for a week well that made me almost go to the hospital. I am going to list the things to look out for , stomach, a burning and on fire feeling, sweating like a pig(ha!) and if you react breathing difficulties and hives and it takes a long time to get the side effects out of your system, I am never again taking it but i could be sensitive to it but the doc says it does alot of people side effects. Take care and you might want to try something else but if you do the prednisone just a friendly suggestion to keep the dose low while you see what happens Whatever you do i wish you peace and love and much relief
steve sbcook2

Hi Megan,

That was my train of thoughts. Pamidronate infusions on monthly basis is not a solution for me as I have Hyperostosis(Excessive bone growth) and Osteitis( inflammation of bone) and since my last infusion the SCJ has gotten much bigger and more inflamed.

I will ask my doctor if I can go on Steroids on small dosage for a while to get my mobility back and take Pamidronate infusion every three or six months as it does help with my symptoms.

I have tried most of NASID without much success.

Thanks,
Ali

Hi Ali,
Welcome to kick A/S I am new here to. I saw your bio says your from Toronto I am about an hour west in Brantford. I have taken prednisone in the past and was actually a test subject for a double blind study where large doses were given intravenously. I also have taken 50mg. doses orally over short periods of time slowly cutting back. It works at putting out the fire of a flare up but only for a brief period of time as it is far too dangerous to take on a continual basis. It can kill you!
Most G.P doctors are not familiar with A/S so you should ask to be referred to a Rhuematoligist they will have more knowledge on A/S and be a lot more experienced with Prednisone.Good Luck!
Gary

Personally, I would do all I could to stay away from it. Yes, it does wonders for the pain, but at what cost? You can get more bad things from it than the benefits.

Glenn

Hi Ali,
First of all... WELCOME TO KA!
I've been on prednisone for 7/8 years and most of that time I have been on a 20 mg dose. I still can't believe I have been on it that long as it is supposed to be a short term drug, butevery ti me I go lower or try to get off from it I flare in a major way. We are still trying to find something that will help me so I can get off it some day, but so far nothing. I have to agree with some of the others that you should try every other way before the steroids, but if you do go that route, make it the smallest dose that works and only for a very short period of time.
Good luck,
Lisa

Ali,

15mg and then an slow taper, wait 3 days and start passive gentle stretching if you can.

I can handle 25mg of predy but not much more!

When you get down below 10mg take it easy, if you taper and wake up next day burning and stiff then the tpaer was too much.

Good Luck, hope you get some movement back, and the pain comes down!

David