Low Doses of Prednisone - Asthma Message Board

laci · 02-07-2003, 04:35 PM

Today I took 20mg of prednisone & anti-fungal medicine via my ENT.
I can't believe how smooth my breathing is with just that small amount. I can't hear or feel myself breathe. It's starting to wear off and I can tell the difference.
Anyone, like a nurse or others, know what the prednisone does to make the lungs work so easily?

charleyhorse · 02-08-2003, 09:32 PM

Laci ... 20mg is not exactly a 'low' dose of prednisone ...more of a 'medium' dose and it does have some very serious side effects which is why you will probably only use it occassionally and for a few days at a time. Prednisone is the "mother of all steroids" -the "big gun" for serious flareups. It is an anti-inflamatory and that describes exactly what it is doing in your lungs. Your inhaled steroid (Flovent, Pulmicort etc.) is designed to do the same thing, but its a much lower dose, and it goes directly into your lungs. The problem with prednisone is that it is 'systemic' - it is everywhere in your body, not just in your lungs where you want it. At about 20mg it becomes immune-suppressing, which means that while it turns off the inflamation in your lungs, it may make you more susceptible to picking up an infection - especially the respiratory kind. The vast majority of asthmatics (and I hope you are one of these) can get good control with an inhaled steroid, plus a reliever or two, and perhaps something like Singular. Prednisone may still be needed occassionally for a few days, under a drs care, if things get out of hand. A few of us are steroid dependent, or steroid resistant. That means we can't keep control of the asthma without an oral steroid or something equally nasty on a long-term basis. The side-effects are numerous and serious so you want to avoid this situation if at all possible. Your best defence is to get and keep control of the asthma with inhaled steroids and whatever reliever meds and add-ons your dr can dream up. I hope you can avoid long-term prednisone use. Sorry to rant about this, but I have a real love-hate relationship with prednisone. It keeps me alive, but the long-term side effects can be very debilitating. Hope you can get by without it.

Barb

humptydoodle · 02-09-2003, 03:24 AM

Hi Laci & Barb
I tend to agree with Barb here, having had many experiences of either taking prednisolone tablets or being injected with hydrocortisone (nightmare city!) It's a wonderful drug which WILL help your asthma but the side effects can be really nasty so it's best saved for when all else fails i.e. when your inhalers don't work. The way it works is by reducing the inflammation in the bronchial tubes, so they open up again. I've actually just finished a 7 day course of 30mg per day (apparently it's now old fashioned to do a reducing dose course) - short sharp shock for the lungs. It worked ok but even in that short time the drug played havoc with my digestive & reproductive systems! The side effects from short term use aren't too bad but Barb I really feel for you if you have to take them all the time. I hope your asthma improves soon.

Thanks both for your tips on my oral steroid & thrush post. I'll certainly try it.

laci · 02-09-2003, 01:55 PM

I've been put on oral steroids and anti-fungal medication for my Allergic Fungal Sinusitis, as seen in my ct scan by my ENT.
He's being very cautious about my taking it alternating days ONLY so that my gland doesn't shut down.
There is no other remedy for such a severe fungal infection. It's too much pain to bear to just live with "if there's a medication to reduce the inflammation."
But you have to accept it that once in a while, only oral steroids can do the trick. These prednisone intakes are called "bursts". Going on them and quickly off.
This to me is considered a low dose. If you're familiar with insect stings, you have to take a really high dose for it to even work. (it's rare).

I only took one dose on Friday (no weekend taking of them) and my lungs are soo much clearer and sinuses soo much better. I only take those doses M, W & F and then one more M. That's it! I had to do this 2 other times in my life and afterwards was able to continue living a normal life.

wrin · 02-09-2003, 02:53 PM

I hope your doctor keeps you on your inhaled steroid -- he's right to be terrified about putting you on prednisone while you've got an infection -- since prednisone is so immunosuppressive, that's one of the things you like to avoid when someone has an infection.

Make sure to be careful when tapering back to your inhaled steroid.