I have had really, really bad experiences with Prednisone. Went on it with my first Crohn's flare, and went from a size 2 to a 20 in less than three months, hair on my head fell out, but got facial hair, stretch marks. Was on Ambien to sleep, Ativan to stop shaking like a chihuahua, protonix because I got stomach ulcers, you name it.
New arthritis dr. has just put me on 5 mg and wants me to step it up to 7.5, which I KNOW seems really low, but this is my first week on 5 and today I woke up feeling like I'm on speed. Oi. Here we go again.
So, has pred really helped your AS, and would it at such a low dose? Because I'm not going back on anything higher than 5. For me, that is NOT an option!
i feel your woes. the effects of prednisone hit me hard & fast as well. no matter what MDs say about daily low dose therapy or the as needed whopper dose bypassing the adverse effects?...sassafrass! a week on 5 or 10 mg and my legs swell, heart races, shortness of breath...and forget sleep.
sooooo...will it really help AS? mmmmm....a bit. i feel it helps with the pain, stiffness and spasms. but i truly feel that Enbrel was THE BEST @ controlling AS. and since it's a tnf medication it helps the real problem and not just masking the symptoms like steroids do.
i started again just a few minutes ago chucking down pred. 10mg. i'm desperate...so i'll forsake vanity for a possible few weeks of (hopefully) less pain.
i swear, when i get well i am absolutely putting my education to society whole heartedly and going into nursing research and FINDING A DANG CURE FOR ALL AI DISEASES! (or at least a way to get them into remission FAST).
hang in there.
sincerely,
erinActive, Severe Rheumatory Arthritis. Crohns. AS. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. Partial complex seizures. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung & Heart. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg Q 4 days; Pred 20mg prn; Pentasa 4G daily; Imuran 50mg; Dilaudid 4mg; Diazepam 5mg; Avinza 30mg; Reglan; Meclizine; LidoDerm; MiraLax & too many others.
I have crohns as well and I have oa,ra,as,and sejerens as well.When I first got sick and was told i had crohns that was the first medicn that Iwas put on.I was on 80mg for about a year and then it took abother half year to get me winged off of it and I gained over a 100pound's.I have took off abot 30 pound's but it has been hard doing so.I have a adverce effect with prednisone it causes me to have lung problems.I have been a bad flare and so my Rheumatolagist gave me a loading dose 0f 40 in the hope's that would help with my joint's but it only helped for a couple of day's and had to go back and get the other 40.For me predy does not give me much relief at all for my AS.Thanks
I have had really, really bad experiences with Prednisone. Went on it with my first Crohn's flare, and went from a size 2 to a 20 in less than three months, hair on my head fell out, but got facial hair, stretch marks. Was on Ambien to sleep, Ativan to stop shaking like a chihuahua, protonix because I got stomach ulcers, you name it. 
the effects of prednisone hit me hard & fast as well. no matter what MDs say about daily low dose therapy or the as needed whopper dose bypassing the adverse effects?...sassafrass! a week on 5 or 10 mg and my legs swell, heart races, shortness of breath...and forget sleep.
mmmmm....a bit. i feel it helps with the pain, stiffness and spasms. but i truly feel that Enbrel was THE BEST @ controlling AS. and since it's a tnf medication it helps the real problem and not just masking the symptoms like steroids do.