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New tablets

Posted , 5 users are following.

nicola55890
nicola55890

Finally got to see the specialist again and he had results from previous test, he said it was worse than he thought and now put me on prednisone steroids starting with 6 a day! Has anyone had these for crohns? Did they help? Any advice would be great.

Thanks nicci

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Jokuar
    Jokuar nicola55890

    Posted

    I am currently on a 9 week course of Prednisalone. Started at 8

    tablets per day for 2 weeks reducing by 1 per week. Now in 3rd week.

    My condition is thought to be Crohns but not definitively diagnosed as yet.

    These steroids have helped a lot and stabilized frequency and

    composition of motions however as you're probably aware they are not a long term solution.

    Have not had any real side effects thus far of which there are many

    I wish you luck 😃

    • nicola55890
      nicola55890 Jokuar

      Posted

      Wow I thought 6 seemed a lot. Have read the side effects, hoping not to get moon face! Still got to take sulafine tablets to, so hopefully will get some improvement soon and the pains will ease up. Thanks for your reply. Hope up keep improving 😁 x
  • sharon09529
    sharon09529 nicola55890

    Posted

    Hi nicola55890

    I was diagnosed about this time last year after an emergency appendectomy and bowel adhesion surgery, which was originally diagnosed as gallstones! I am learning that medicine is not an exact science as all patients have their own different symptom combinations and tolerances:-)

    Anyway I have been on pentasa which has not been totally successful, have tried aza and mercaptopurine immune suppressants which sadly gave bad side effects including liver level problems, so am now on third course of prednisolone in a year which is helping but not a long term solution

    Yep you do gain weight and get a moon face ( which I could do without being a big girl anyway ( not complaining as I know a lot of people are underweight with crohns) but i can reassure you the moon face disappears in about four weeks after you finish your steroids so if they get you into remission it is worth it!

    I have an MRI end may to see if I have a stricture and seeing my gastro consultant week later to look at options as I will be at end of steroids by then. I would say that this time around on the steroids 40mg daily reducing by 5 mg per week) I haven't experienced the same raised energy levels as I experienced on first two courses, and I am having some arthritic pain which I am not sure is related to crohns flare or side effect steroids will discuss with consultant.

    Iam also taking calcium and d3 as prescribed to protect bnones while non the steroids..hope you are too?

  • thepadre
    thepadre nicola55890

    Posted

    Hi Nicci,

    Prednisalone is the standard, 'first recourse' treatment for Crohns. If it's going to work it generally helps things quite quickly - but not always! Obviously different people respond to different drugs in different ways. It's not going to cure things; as I'm sure you know there is no 'cure' for Crohns, but it may well quiet things down and bring about a remission which may last for many months (or even longer).

    If Prednisalone doesn't do the trick you Dr will probaly move you on to Azathioprene - an immuno suppresent which you can take longer term. If this happens please listen to your Doctor's advice. There are a lot of posts on this site from people who seem to have had bad experiences with this drug (and it can have some nasty side effects - that's why your Dr will monitor you closely initially) but the fact is that the vast majority of people take it without any problems and find it hugely beneficial.

    Hope this is of some help and reassurance!

  • Joyalb
    Joyalb nicola55890

    Posted

    Yes I am on those for the flare up, with luck it should go into remission, steroids are commonly used so expect to be on them around six weeks
  • Guest
    Guest nicola55890

    Posted

    Hi,

    I started at 8 a day and this went down by 1 per week. It worked at first and I didn't have any of the Crohns symptoms e.g diarrhoea. However, when I was having 4 per day my symptoms came back and my Dr told me that this wasn't good as my body was relying on them to stay better. I took the full course but then when on to try another treatment which was Infliximab infusions which worked for me and I eventually put on weight with this and was relieved of all my symptoms and am now in remission.

    I was really scared of getting moon face too but luckily I didn't. hahaa 

    Good luck 

  • Joyalb
    Joyalb nicola55890

    Posted

    I have said this before but for anyone who missed it, there is a drug called Colesevelam (cholestagel) that stops diarrhoea in its tracks by experimenting with the dosage, it is a bile sequester ant, safe, not absorbed into the system and for me and hundreds of others is truly a 'miracle' pill, IF you can get your GP to prescribe it, mine come from the consultant himself, too many GP's don't know how we suffer but persevere and there is a powder form you mix but gives me reflux so I cannot tolerate it, another good group to discuss this is on Facebook called Bile Acid Malabsorption for advice
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