Is there a Prednisone alternative?

shyguy · 02-01-2004, 10:06 PM

Is there an alternative to taking Prednisone? If taking Colazal and Imuran (Azathioprine) don't work well anymore, would increasing their doses a lot help any?

Assuming there is no Prednisone alternative...
If I refuse to take anymore Prednisone despite my ulcerative colitis flaring up/worsening what happens?

I know first I lose too much blood and become tired and pale and feel sick and hair falls out, because this already happened to me before (anemia). Then since the iron in my blood becomes so low I can't get/carry enough oxygen eventually I would die I assume? However, taking lots of iron supplements fixed this, along with Prednisone to fix the UC bouts.

But can I instead opt to live with the UC bouts of constantly going to the bathroom and losing blood AND take lots of iron supplements and vitamins to fights the iron/blood loss? Can that prevent anemia without Prednisone?

I want to know ways to stop taking Prednisone, I refuse to use it anymore, or at least not have to go over my 10mg every other day. I won't go back to 30mg a day no matter what!!!! I don't care.

shyguy · 02-02-2004, 04:40 PM

Anyone know? I have a dr appointment today and I want to be armed with facts because my dr doesn't care.

twisten · 02-02-2004, 05:30 PM

I was on prednisone before but started getting side effects from it (oral didn't work for me anyway) so I was put on Imuran along with the asacol that I had been on for awhile. Some people can't go off pred after they have been on it for awhile because their bodies have become dependant on it. I believe its something to do with the adrenal glands. My doctor told me one of the reasons I was put on imuran was to get me off the pred. Have they even tried to wean you off pred? You have to be careful of the doses you take with these meds. I can't remember exactly what they are but the max for me would be 125 mg and I weigh 110. I'm only on 75 though because a different doc said that was the max that I could go on. Hope this helps some.

shyguy · 02-02-2004, 11:07 PM

I was on Asacol and then switched over to Colazal (same thing almost). But then that slowly stopped working so I had to go on Prednisone. At first I took 30mg a day and that really messed me up, then I slowly went down to 1 a day after I stopped losing too much blood. Then for like a week I stopped it but since my UC came back I had to take Prednisone again and now take 10mg every other day. But now I think I will have to start taking more again and I don't want to. I started Imuran also after awhile of taking Prednisone.

Oh also, I don't like Prednisone because of all the potential long term side effects and especially because of the immediate side effects. I normally weigh about 128lbs and I am really skinny for a guy. But after taking 30mg of Prednisone daily I went up to 140+lbs and I looked and felt like a freak. I looked pregnant. Then after going down to 10mg a day my weight went back to normal but now my face has fat on it. It looks bigger and I have a double chin. I hate it and I know what can happen next... find a recent picture of Jerry Lewis to find out.

twisten · 02-03-2004, 12:05 AM

How long have you been on imuran for? It can take up to 9 months to take affect. It took me close to 8 months before I noticed a difference. I still have flare ups but nothing like I had before.