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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / November 2007Prednisolone questions
As you know, I've jogged along for years with both shoulders, both hips and left knee being replaced. Also, I've taken 3 x 50mg of Diclofenac Sodium (NSAID) daily for years now with no side effects. I'm also taking Arimidex for breast cancer. Yesterday I woke up to find my right knee (original joint) swollen to twice its size, unable to move either shoulder, and barely able to walk at all. The whole of me was sore and I felt like death. Is this what you call a flare? Off to the doc who took blood and gave me 28 Prednisolone tablets. This morning I'm feeling a bit better and the knee is slightly less swollen. This leaves me with a few questions. Is Prednisolone just a stronger version of my current NSAID? And is taking them a temporary solution to whatever happened to me? I know they are steroid tablets, which I've never taken before, but why can't they be taken after teatime? (he prescribed 3 after brekkie and 3 after lunch) The reason I'm asking is that I'm off to the Arctic Circle on Thursday for 6 nights to see the Northern Lights, so when I see the doc on Monday to get my blood test results should I ask for more Prednisolone to keep me going until I get back to UK? Thanks in advance for any help or advice. Janet >As you know, I've jogged along for years with both shoulders, both hips and >left knee being replaced. Also, I've taken 3 x 50mg of Diclofenac Sodium [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > >Janet NDAID = NON steriodal anti inflam drug Pred = Steriod - cortisone steriod When I had a burst of pred some years ago, the doc told me short term use is up to 2 years, but I wanted to be off them well before that. I only had 6 weeks of them. But apparently you don't just stop taking them, they ween you off them, I a recall correctly I think it was 6 5 4 3 etc per week until 1 then stop. I came off them with no probs, but I know a chap who had terrible problems trying to kick them. Talk more with your Doctor, I was given a card to carry and I had to tell the dentist I was on them etc. I don't know why you can't take them after tea time? again ask the doc. Good luck with the Northern Lights. Hiya Splodge Sorry to hear of your troubles just before your wonderful holiday - that just is not fair. I think you take them earlier in the day because they can cause sleepless nights. That was my experience with them. Also, when you stop taking them all at once, the symptoms that they were given to treat can come bouncing back with a vengeance - that has also been my experience in the past - I had to reduce the dose gradually. Your 28 tablets - what dosage are they? I know that you can get 1mg tablets, and I think 2.5mg (it was a long time ago since I took them). They do make you feel better when your body is screaming out for mercy however. Another way to have steroid treatment is to have a controlled release depot injection intra-muscularly (in the bum) which lasts for a while. Gentle hugs, and I hope you get better for your holiday. How's the hip now? Jayne The tablets are 5mg, so I'm going to ask the GP for some more when I see him on Monday. The hip came out of its socket on Wednesday, and then twice on Thursday morning, but nothing since. A friend thinks the trauma of that might have set off the flare. How are you after the knee op? Thanks Jayne Janet > Hiya Splodge > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Jayne > The tablets are 5mg, so I'm going to ask the GP for some more when I see > him on Monday. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Thanks Jayne > Janet Hiya Janet So is that 30mg a day then? They understandably won't want to keep you on a high dose for too long, but 28 tablets is only going to last less than 5 days. Perhaps he/she can taper you off gradually. I have been following your exploits with your hip (elsewhere) - are you seeing your consultant before you go away? I'm fine - my knee is coming along okay. A couple more months and I'm sure that leg will feel a bit more human. The itching drives me nuts on the scar - I'm forever massaging oils etc in, in an attempt to moisturise it. It just needs for the surrounding bits and pieces to get a bit stronger I think. Everyone seems happy with me anyway. Good luck Janet, and I will watch for your progress. Jayne > Hiya Janet > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Good luck Janet, and I will watch for your progress. Ooops, yes, that 6 tablets at 5mg per day = 30mg. I'm going to ask for enough tablets to last my holiday and then taper off. My consultant phoned me and said realistically there was nothing he could do before I went. He's a lovely chap and he's going to give me an appointment as soon after Nov 28th as he can manage. I used to rub bio-oil onto my knee scar, but it didn't do the itching any good. The only thing that helped me was to drink lots of water cos it eased off after I drank 2.5 pints per day. Thanks Jayne Janet > Ooops, yes, that 6 tablets at 5mg per day = 30mg. I'm going to ask for > enough tablets to last my holiday and then taper off. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Thanks Jayne > Janet John bought me some bio-oil, but last time I just used wheatgerm oil which is loads cheaper. I have to say I haven't seen a lot of difference. Vaseline has been good too, at bedtime when it can't stain trousers. I hope your hip behaves while on your holiday Janet - I'm sure you'll have a great time and I look forward to seeing your pictures! Have a lovely time. Jayne >> Ooops, yes, that 6 tablets at 5mg per day = 30mg. I'm going to ask for >> enough tablets to last my holiday and then taper off. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Have a lovely time. Thanks Jayne Janet >Sorry to hear of your troubles just before your wonderful holiday - that >just is not fair. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >back with a vengeance - that has also been my experience in the past - I had >to reduce the dose gradually. interesting. i've always taken mine at night. i wonder if i would sleep better if i took them in the morning -- i never have, and no-one ever told me to. >Your 28 tablets - what dosage are they? I know that you can get 1mg >tablets, and I think 2.5mg (it was a long time ago since I took them). 1mg and 5mg (i don't know of anything bigger). i'm supposedly in the last stages of coming off the stuff, and take 5mg one night, and 4x1mg the next. quite often i get the stupid things out of their beastly bubble packs without dropping one down the drain/on the floor. (i started taking prednisolone after an instance of inflamed eyes: the immediate treatment was "pred 40" eye-drops. when i went for a follow-up -- the eye clinic here is even more overloaded than the rheum one -- they said i should "start taking nsaids". i pointed out that was a bit difficult, having been living on them for nearly 10 years, so they said either increase the dose or start taking pred pills ... so pred pills it was, after i'd discussed it with my arthritis doctor.)  SignatureRobin Fairbairns, Cambridge >>Sorry to hear of your troubles just before your wonderful holiday - that >>just is not fair. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > pills ... so pred pills it was, after i'd discussed it with my > arthritis doctor.) Did that cause a weight gain Robin? I've heard it does, which is why I don't want to take them longer than I need. Janet > Did that cause a weight gain Robin? I've heard it does, which is why I > don't > want to take them longer than I need. > Janet Oops - I forgot to mention that! In my experience (and seeing my dad off and on steroids) they give you a huge appetite boost, and make you want to eat for England. Jayne >> Did that cause a weight gain Robin? I've heard it does, which is why I >> don't [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >and on steroids) they give you a huge appetite boost, and make you want to >eat for England. i've never been noticeably short on appetite[*]... i don't remember a change when i started on pred -- there may have been, but i had other things on my mind at the time (i had just restarted the relationship with she who is now my wife) and we tended to be rather involved with one another back then, rather tending to miss externalities (;-). she didn't notice any such thing either -- i've just asked. [*] my mother _still_ expects me to clear all the dishes at dinner, when we visit ... just like she did 50 years ago. it's a difficult reputation to have, if you're trying to keep an eye on your weight. SignatureRobin Fairbairns, Cambridge >> Did that cause a weight gain Robin? I've heard it does, which is why I >> don't [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > and on steroids) they give you a huge appetite boost, and make you want to > eat for England. I've never had a problem with my appetite Jayne, but I'm hoping not to take the tablets longer than the beginning of December. Janet Jayne, if you live on this side of the Atlantic, it makes you want to eat everything in sight. I had lost 25 pounds while in the hospital, but every 1/2 ounce has returned to this old body! Gwen >> Did that cause a weight gain Robin? I've heard it does, which is why I >> don't [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Jayne > interesting. i've always taken mine at night. i wonder if i would > sleep better if i took them in the morning -- i never have, and no-one > ever told me to. The morning dosing (or morning and noon if gastrointestinal side-effects make a divided dose necessary) is because it more closely mimics the bodys natural steroid (cortisol) production. This leads to less suppression of your ability to produce your own steroids - which is why they should be tapered after high dose or long-term treatment. So do try to take them in the morning - it helps to reduce serious side-effects. If you have been taking them in the evening, it becomes even more important to taper the dose *slowly* when you do stop taking steroids. >> Your 28 tablets - what dosage are they? I know that you can get 1mg >> tablets, and I think 2.5mg (it was a long time ago since I took them). > > 1mg and 5mg (i don't know of anything bigger). You can also get 25mg tablets... All the best, Pete the pharmacist >> interesting. i've always taken mine at night. i wonder if i would >> sleep better if i took them in the morning -- i never have, and no-one [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > taking them in the evening, it becomes even more important to taper the > dose *slowly* when you do stop taking steroids. Thank you Peter, that's very helpful Janet |
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