prednisone 'blip' ? - need advice

Just looking for advice from 'UC'ers' who have had their share of pred.  This is my second round on it.  It was successful in inducing remission for some 7 years (great years) from a flare I had some time ago - I needed about 60 mg's to get it under control over a prolonged period.  This time around, my new GI specialist advised that 40 mg's is the limit based on research and the likelihood of the benefits being outweighed by the side effects, etc.  So at 40 mg's, I initially had 3 or 4 good days (no symptoms) followed by blood and mucous for a few days.  But now, things seem to have cleared up again; two good days thus far with no blood and well formed stools.  Hoping that the few 'bad days' were a blip and my body needed to adjust and the pred took some time to really take effect.  Any similar experiences out there?  Any other advice? -  I figure not eating (or trying not to eat) might give the ol' bowel a break too for a few days.  Good idea?  Thanks for your input.

I get more bleeding and gassiness if I don't eat enough. But you would have to try it to know how it effects you. Find something nutritious to drink if you try not eating! Don't get dehydrated!

Those days were maybe a blip from something still left in your gut or something you ate that you don't realize causes a problem for you. I'm sure that's an oversimplification. Anyway, just be glad with the improvement now!

I was interested to hear about research that 40 works "better" than 60, that's good information.

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49 year old female attorney, diagnosed UC/pancolitis 1985, no surgery but much suffering. Asacol/5ASA 6x400 mg maintenance for 20+ years; use prednisone & Rowasa for flares. 

I also started at 60 and was on for 3 weeks and then cut down to 30. I def still have bad and good days on it especially in the beginning. I think the main reason I was tapered down was just because it was too dangerous to be on so high for so long. I am still tapering and doing well but it is not unusual for me to have bad days. I still have blood every time I go but the cramping when I'm in there and the amount of times I have to go are much better. I wouldn't worry too much though about a few days that are bad, I think it is just the nature of the disease.

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Diagnosed when 13 and am now 25, female. Currently taking 100mg of 6mp, started at 60 mg of prednisone and now down to 30 mg, and 12 pills of asacol a day. I tried cortifoam for this flare and it didn't work. Previously I've tried all types of rectal meds but nothing ever helped. In the past I've tried rowasa, enemas, pentasa, colazal, sulfasalizine. I was in a four year remission until the end of January.