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Why do they still prescribe prednisone?

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Posted 8/28/2007 8:54 PM (GMT -8)
When they have Remicade and Humira and such? It seems like the long term effects of prednisone are plainly horrible. So why is it still the first line of defense? Is it strictly because of the cost? Just curious.
Posted 8/28/2007 9:21 PM (GMT -8)
Not everyone is a candidate for Humira/Remicade...and for many pred is a blessing in disguise...when pred used to work for me (I'm no longer responsive to it) I hardly had any side-effects from it, often none at all and when it did work for me it was within 3 days and it was a very nice break from the disease.

:)
Posted 8/29/2007 12:40 AM (GMT -8)
pb4 is right, prednisone works pretty quick and alot of times when some one is in a really bad flare they will script prednisone to try and get a flare under control.
Posted 8/29/2007 5:37 AM (GMT -8)
I was on Prednisone for over a year. I tapered from 40 mgs down to 5 mgs pretty quickly and 5 mgs seemed to work in terms of controlling bathroom trips although not pain, gas, cramping etc. But, at least I was living a more normal existence. At that low dose, I did not experience any side effects and felt it was less invasive than Remicade, Humira, Imuran etc. I eventually went on Rifaxamin which has been a wonder drug for me. It got me off the prednisone in March (2 months after starting Rifaxamin) and has me almost back to normal at this point -- not quite remission -- but close according to a recent colonoscopy. I believe the longer I am on it, the better I feel.

female, 46, 9 years uc with progression to pancolitis 1.5 years ago.
Posted 8/29/2007 5:40 AM (GMT -8)
I wouldn't be alive had it not been for prednisone. That was long before Remicade or Humira, but it still has its place with many inflammatory diseases. Some of us cannot afford the biologics even with insurance. If you have an aversion to prednisone, it's within your rights to refuse it. I would still consider it in the future even though I've been steroid dependent in the past.
Posted 8/29/2007 8:18 AM (GMT -8)
The nurse tried to give me pred as a pre-med before my 2nd Remicade and I refused. I had horrible pain after my first remicade, but I'll pass on the steroid. I have enough meds in me already!  The benedryl helped and I feel better than last time. I took pred once and felt like I was on crack!

Posted 8/29/2007 10:30 AM (GMT -8)

pb4 said...
Not everyone is a candidate for Humira/Remicade...and for many pred is a blessing in disguise...

X 2

Take Care
Posted 8/29/2007 2:35 PM (GMT -8)
Prednisone, even though it's side effects can be horrible, is still a somewhat miraculous drug for treating patients in acute, major flares. I think it still has it's place in times of crises.
Posted 8/29/2007 3:02 PM (GMT -8)
When used appropriately prednisone is a mriacle drug. I certainly would not want to see it eliminated from the arsenal available to treat me.
Posted 8/29/2007 3:23 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks. That makes sense, then. Every drug in its place. It acts quickly on a flare and it works. The other meds, besides being expensive, take a while to kick in. I just hear so much nastiness about Pred's side effects and long term consequences. It made me curious.
Posted 8/29/2007 3:42 PM (GMT -8)
Not sure I believe the effects of Remicade or Humira can be much better. I've heard of some horrible allergic reaction problems, nasty side effects, about it stop working, not to mention cancer risks (small but still there).

Pred I think is a "smaller gun" and I'd like to use the smaller guns until I had to absolutely go for the big guns!
Posted 8/29/2007 4:32 PM (GMT -8)
I personally think they do becuz it works so fast to help inflammation and in extreme cases is the best drug until the other drugs can begin to work!! just my honest opinion

but I feel ya..I hate it
Posted 8/29/2007 7:34 PM (GMT -8)
Prednisone is the only drug that (at high doses) helped my crohn's and gave me no side effects besides energy.  I'm still waiting for the remicade to start doing something noticable... besides nausea.  I just tapered off the prednisone today [completely] and I feel awful...

Posted 8/30/2007 2:46 PM (GMT -8)
I received my Healthtalk newsletter andthere was a discussion on the side effects of Prednisone, here's the link to that site
http://www.healthtalk.com/crohnsdisease/programs/5_775/index.cfm
Tess
Posted 8/30/2007 3:03 PM (GMT -8)
Well there is something to that the kind of steriods that we take do not cause cancer, like remicade and humira can.  Plus steriods can help reduce the side effects of taking remicade if you get the drug induced lupus.

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