Prednisone

BonnGayle
BonnGayle Member Posts: 26
edited 2. May 2013, 03:40 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi all
My Rhemy has given me Predione 5mg for 6 months as a first treatment for RA Ive had my first month and at the weekend I go down to half so down to 2.5mg Ive had bad night cramps in my legs and burning indegestion but ultimatly I dont think my RA feels any better at all So im getting all the side effects but no benefit ,has anyone else had this ? perhaps im just being impatient but any opinions greatfuly recieved.

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    If it's not helping the RA, and you're due to reduce it, you're not 'being impatient'. Is that 5 mgs per day? If so, it's not a big dose. I suggest you ask either your rheumatologist or your GP for advice before cutting down. Also, if you have bed indigestion with the pred, ask about that, too. You may need a stomach-protecting med. Always take the pred with food as that will help. I've never had cramp with it so can't help on that score. When are you due to go on DMARDS?
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • BonnGayle
    BonnGayle Member Posts: 26
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    the going down to half is the way the Rhemy told me Im not reducing the dose myself, Im supposed to take it at the half dose untill I see him again in October but I think honestly Im going to go see him again before that.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That is a very low dose of pred for any real difference to be felt, but there again pred doesn't work for everyone. When I first began it (after being off all my meds for a while) I started on 20mg a day for five days, then 15mg for five, 10 mg for five then reduced to a maintenance dose of 5mg.

    It seems odd to me to put you on pred as an initial treatment but maybe things are done differently in Germany than here. The usual starting med here is methotrexate, with or without hydroxy, or maybe sulphasalazine. They also take some time to 'kick in' - being a patient patient is the name of the game (and sometimes damned difficult). DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben