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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> prednisone????
        
(Message started by: rtd on Mar 10^th, 2002, 1:52pm)

Title: prednisone????
Post by rtd on Mar 10^th, 2002, 1:52pm

If anyone has taken prednisone could you tell me the dosage and duration you took it. I see it has a pretty good success rate.thanks ???

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by Linda T on Mar 10^th, 2002, 1:59pm

This past January my neuro put me on a 12 day course of pred first 2 days 60 mg a day next 2 days 50mg/day next 2 days 40 mgs and so on. Pred works great (at least for me) until you get to the 20/mg day rate. Then ch kicked in again. Neuro then put me on 15 day course starting at 20/mg and day 5 days, etc.

My understanding of pred is that it's really just supposed to give you a break until a preventative has a chance to kick in which could be a couple of weeks.

Also, pred has some nasty side effects so the docs don't want to keep you on it too long.

Good luck & PF Linda T.

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by bdenkew on Mar 10^th, 2002, 10:34pm

I generally have to take 60-80mg for several days until I'm not having to take an abortive such as Imitrex injections or Amerge also. I'm then able to start to taper off the prednisone reducing it by 2.5 mg every two days until I get down to 30 mg and then I have to slow the taper down by about 2.5 mg per four days.

WARNING: Do NOT continue to use prednisone if you become chronic and basically use it as preventive as I did. My side effects were and many still are very severe. Osteoporosis, back problems, early signs of cataracts, glaucoma, umbilical hernia, stretched stomach, round read face, constant foot pain, and hemorrhoids are just a few.

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by Charlie_C on Mar 11^th, 2002, 8:40am

Hi all

I was fairly recently diagnosed, but have suffered for about 2 years believing ch to be migraines. Don't trust all the neuros!
Finally I got prescibed prednisone: 60mgs daily for 10 days.
These worked perfectly - no pain immediately.
Problem is, the frequency of clusters has increased from 6 monthly to 2 monthly.
I'm now very worried about long-term side-effects as the list ais as long as your arm - if you have very long arms.
So, yes they work and are very effective, BUT they may increase frequency and have horrible long term effects.

I'm seeing my neuro agin this week to get them changed, hopefully to something less noxious.

Charlie ;)

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by pinksharkmark on Mar 11^th, 2002, 2:22pm

on 03/11/02 at 08:40:32, Charlie_C wrote:

Finally I got prescibed prednisone: 60mgs daily for 10 days.
These worked perfectly - no pain immediately.

I am unclear on what dosing regimen you actually followed. Your post implied that you took 60 mg of prednisone for 10 days in a row and then took no prednisone at all on the eleventh, twelfth, or subsequent days. In other words, you went from 60 mgs a day to zero overnight.

This is an EXTREMELY dangerous thing to do. It can literally KILL you... no exaggeration.

High levels of prednisone intake (anything over 5 - 10 mg a day) must be gradually reduced over a period of time rather than stopped cold. All medical professionals know this. If your neuro actually told you to take 60 mg a day for 10 days and then stop cold turkey with no "tapering off" period, RUN, don't walk, to a different neuro, and think seriously about filing a lawsuit against your first neuro.

pinky

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by edyson on Mar 11^th, 2002, 6:43pm

I was having 3 to 5 ch per day until about 6 months ago. I started taking 10 mg of Prednisone every day. I have had no serious side effects except a slight increase in weight and a red round face (slight).
I do not believe that a small dose of 10 mg a day will hurt. However, I am no Doctor. I know it worked for me.
Eddie

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by edyson on Mar 11^th, 2002, 6:43pm

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by edyson on Mar 11^th, 2002, 6:44pm

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by edyson on Mar 11^th, 2002, 6:45pm

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by Charlie_C on Mar 12^th, 2002, 4:20am

Pinksharkmark et al

Thanks for the advice. My GP warned against not having a cool-down period for anything over 5 days of 60mgs, but he relented as the neuro is the specialist.
My neuro explained it as a "short sharp shock", and that as a young, otherwise healthy, guy I should have no problems.
I will have the treatment changed though as explained before.
I was prescribed verapamil to go with the steroids.

c

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by kim on Mar 12^th, 2002, 6:33am

Warning to all prednisone users: NEVER suddenly stop taking pred after you have been using dosage! I did this one time and boy o boy. I could not operate my body. Went to get out of bed and fell to floor like ton of bricks. DANGEROUS!!!! If dr. did not warn you about that, you better find new one!!!! BE CAREFUL.PFDAN Kim

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by chjohn on Mar 12^th, 2002, 8:32pm

I'm stupid, not usually, but just this once, I was stupid! I was prescribed Prednisone, 60mg,60mg, 40 mg. for four days, 30 for four ect. It didn't help, and I didn't like the side effects, so I quit taking it, then I looked it up (Google search) on Rx.com, The side effects, and risks for suddenly stopping it are more dangerous, and more severe than taking it.
REALLY it can kill you. Even if you are young and tuff.
Look it up, and double check anything any Doctor tells you, most of them never treated a Cluster Head, and don't have the time to study up on it.
Just a little paranoid,
John :o

Title: Re: prednisone????
Post by studebaker on Mar 13^th, 2002, 3:11am

Yes it works, but as others have pointed out it is just a temp break while your other meds are used. during a cycle I usually build up to 100mg in one day. The side effects are bad, but at the time I need the pred to function. Expect to gain weight and have stomach problems. Get off it as soon as you can.