Posted by Jonathan on December 04, 1998 at 06:09:54:
In Reply to: First Time on Prednisone posted by Sean on December 02, 1998 at 18:33:50:
Hi Sean,
Take the drug, but keep monitoring yourself and keep in regular contact with your doctor about the amount and frequency you are taking them. I had rather a bad time on prednisolone/prednisone but I had been taking them for some time. They tend to give people a sense of euphoria and also tamper with sleep cycles because they are replacing the natural steroids you produce in the body. Your body knows when it needs to stop producing as much of the natural steroids (that keep you up and active and help fight against inflammation and infection) so that you can rest, but the pills don't know, so in effect you are pumping more steroids than you need into your body and this is why it plays with sleep patterns. You may also find that when you come of them you might be more subsequently to catching colds etc. Reason again is that the steroids your taking keep you active and fighting, when you stop them your body has to produce it's own natural version again (this is why you MUST reduce the dose of prednisolone/prednisone very slowly). If you read through the posts on this massage board for the past couple of months you will find loads of info in this drug. You might also consider getting your countries version of a medical book normally published but the Countries Medical Association, this book is used by general practitioners to as a reference guide for medication.
The most important thing is to keep a diary of what your taking and how often and go regularly to your doctor/specialist and make sure they are happy that you continue that treatment. It is often the case that doctors don't have the time to keep up to date on your activities and also be absolutely aware of what the drugs may do to their patients it's not really their fault. (Medicine is not an exact science) Could you imagine having to treat the lot of us on this website.. What a nightmare.. Ohhhhhhhweeee I wouldn't want to treat me when I pissed off because my medication doesn't work.
Rule of patients number 1) Log everything you do with medication and tell your doctor regularly.
Rule of patients number 2) Do your own research into the medication you are taking as doctors don't always have the time to keep up to date.
Rule of patients number 3) Take care of your self. :o))
Cheers. Merry Christmas and pain free months to come…