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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> ? relief from prednisone ?
        
(Message started by: wifesupporter on Apr 19^th, 2005, 8:43am)

Title: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 19^th, 2005, 8:43am

[smiley=huh.gif] any Idea how long it should take to get relief from taking prednisone. Just started my wife on it to try to break the cycle. 60mg per day for 3 days so far. She had a good day yesterday but thismorning H/A came back with a vengance. about 2 hours long. will be talking to dr about O2 today. please help.

Steve.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bob P on Apr 19^th, 2005, 9:44am

For me pred usually stops the attacks dead in their tracks, first day.

I say usually because I started on 60mg pred yesterday. Took it around 1pm. Still got hit a couple of times last night. Took the second 60mg dose with breakfast this morning. We'll see if that jacks it up high enough to stop them.

My doc put me on 60mg for 10 days then look at a taper. That's longer than I've ever used pred in the past so we'll see if it adds any side effects. Already warned my sweetie that I'm liable to get a little pissy for the next couple of weeks.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by miapet on Apr 19^th, 2005, 10:30am

Back when D did the traditonal meds, a pred taper would give him relief for the first day . . .then the beast would come back . . .just not every hour anymore . . .we would get a little more recovery time (which meant rest time to fight the next one) . . .I'm afraid if it isn't doing something now . . . well, hopefully it at least slowed the beast down and y'all are getting some relief.
*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 19^th, 2005, 10:43am

thanks Bob that is exactly what the doc did for my wife. I hope it will help she has never had a cycle last this long and is getting frustrated. will talk to dr today for another abortive to try. not much working.

Steve

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bionic_Daddy on Apr 19^th, 2005, 11:05am

Hello,
In my case, Prednisone STOPPED my HA's the first day I took 20mg. But only when I spread the doses throughout the day. I lived on 20mg a day prior to my DBS for a year & a half. I had to drink fluids all day so my kidneys wouldn't hurt.
Bionic Daddy

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by E-Double on Apr 19^th, 2005, 11:58am

Is he on a preventative?

And don't talk brother. DEMAND the O2 !!!

It's a well known first line abortive for us.
Though it doesn't work for all it is worth a shot

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by samsara on Apr 19^th, 2005, 8:31pm

Sorry to hear your wife is hurting so bad Steve. Hope you got a scrip for O2!!

Immediate relief with the pred for me. I was wierd the first time, I was totally amazed at how it just dropped. I just hate taking steroids, but it is a fine line with that kind of pain.

Oxygen is on my to do list, many here swear by it and it has no ill-effects like so many other meds. I guess I am being lazy since I am not in a hellacious cycle right now, mostly just shadows and low level HA's 3x a day. Tolerable, but I am saving myself for the kudzu.
check out the thread on that, many here seem to have had very good luck with it.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by broomhilda on Apr 19^th, 2005, 9:17pm

Steve, check in and let us know how you did with your wife today, hope you came out with o2 and anything else you may need...

I did a pred taper early into my cycle and it did not help me at all except I got to eat tons of sushi and drink milk which I normally can't do :D, but I was on other things at the time as well, many as you see have had great success, let us know.

Andrea

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 20^th, 2005, 3:10pm

Well today is an ok day so far. She slept thru the night with out a hit. might be thanks to our friend gravol. what ever works. we had tried the melatonin with good success for a few days then Sorry, didn't work. So we tried gravol for a day and ok. not yet got the o2 but will look into it. the dr. tried to give imitrex tabs but I told them to keep it as I have read here the tabs will take too long to take effect. Well wishing all PFDaNs and thanks for the support.

Steve

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bob P on Apr 20^th, 2005, 4:12pm

Today is my 3rd day. Got hit 3 times last night, 2 pretty good. Took my dose this morning with my oatmeal at 5:30am. Figured I'd take it easy today and let it do it's thing. On the way to work I picked up a freakin' lag bolt in a tire and had to do the tire change thing in the parking lot at 7:00am. My head has had the histamine burn going on all mroning now. It's gonna be a bad evening!

I did read a study this morning that said mean time to response for pred was 4-7 days. I'm just disappointed because it's always stopped the attacks the first day for me in the past.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 20^th, 2005, 4:22pm

Thanks for the info bob today is day 5 for the pred so I hope it will break soon. You should have called me I would have changed the tire for you ;;D well I hope the evening is not as bad as you anticipate.

steve.

bob have you noticed a feeling of being disconnected on pred? J mentioned this today she said she felt her head was not connected to her body, sort of spacy feeling.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bob P on Apr 20^th, 2005, 4:37pm

Yeah, almost feel doped up. Kinda like Uncle Joe "a movin' kinda slow at the junction" (Pettiecoat Junction for you old TV fans).

So far the pred has only kept the histamine burn feeling from hanging around (except for today).

I'll see if I can relocate the study synopsis on the pred.

Added: Oops, my bad. It was an article on single high dose steroid infusion. The average time to the return of the attacks after the infusion was 2-7 days. I'm blaming this screw-up on the pred!

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 20^th, 2005, 4:59pm

Thats ok bob we are all allowed to mess up some times. well I must get back to work, I am using as much time as I can to research and try to find the best way to help get thru this cycle now that I know what we are dealing with. as they say what doesnt kill you will only make you stronger I feel all of you must be bullet proof by now. PFDaN wishes to all.

Steve.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by SteCo on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 9:32am

Wifesupporter,
Push the o2 up to the top of the priority list. It works great for most for an abort. Check out the left side of the page and look for the oxygen info. button. for equipment requirements.
SteCo

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Pinkfloyd on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 10:14am

There is no evidence that I know of that short term use of prednisone causes any permanent damage, especially at low doses. Many people use low doses (5mg/day, etc) without too many problems. Clusterers sometimes end up using high doses several times a year and this could cause problems in my opinion. There are a couple people on this list, including me, that have had permanent damage done from overuse. I'm not saying don't use it...just be careful. I don't know if anyone ever did a study on exactly how much use is "overuse."

http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/avascular_necrosis/#link_a

Bobw

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bob P on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 10:17am

Well I'm completely baffled with my cycle. IN the past, pred has stopped the attacks dead in thier tracks, only to return when I tapered off.

This time, 5 days at 60mg/day and it hasn't slowed them at all. If anything the attacks have gotten stronger. I'm going to start tapering now instead of next Thursday like my doc wanted.

I seem to have doen best with O2 & cafergot as abortives and 9mg melatonin at bedtime. Think I'll stick with that.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Pinkfloyd on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 10:41am

on 04/22/05 at 10:17:45, Bob P wrote:

This time, 5 days at 60mg/day and it hasn't slowed them at all. If anything the attacks have gotten stronger. I'm going to start tapering now instead of next Thursday like my doc wanted.

Years ago it used to only take me 40mg to stop them cold. The last few cycles used to take 80mg for me and when I tapered below that, they would return.
3 days at 80 and then the taper, was making me "cranky" enough that I was afraid someone would actually take me up on putting me out of "their" misery.

Bobw

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by Bob P on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 10:57am

Guess it's the price I pay for the longer remissions. It's hell getting old!

Used to be that I'd get an attack, deal with the pain, and then feel ok till the next attack. Now I have this freakin' histamine burn going in my head all the time with high pain attacks thrown in.

At this point I just want to get back to the minimum meds and ride it out. Think it will feel better overall.

I kinda thought 10 days @ 60mg pred was pushing it anyway.

Title: Re: ? relief from prednisone ?
Post by wifesupporter on Apr 22^nd, 2005, 1:12pm

hey bob

J had to do the taper early also 6 days and she just had too much felt like $hit all day with hard, long Hits. today is a good day woke with no pain in the morning. so we are hoping the cycle is over. well must be off
PFDaN wishes

Steve.

Bob your cycle this time seems exactly to the tee with J's I hope yours will break along with J. lets hope. this is day 2 of the taper. and all seems to be good.

Steve