Posted by pinksharkmark (12.128.190.119) on January 28, 2001 at 03:49:04:
In Reply to: response posted by Derek on January 27, 2001 at 15:55:52:
Please re-read my post, dammit!
I never said that prednisone didn't relieve pain... I said that for most of us (myself included) it relieves pain, effectively, completely, BUT temporarily. I gave my own experience as an example. For the third time... it ALWAYS works for me... and for most others... until you drop below the threshold dose, at which point the pain returns worse than before.
For the record, I would wholeheartedly recommend that everyone try it for a "pain holiday", but if anyone is pinning their hopes on it to END a cycle, the odds are heavily against them. Anyone who does a search of the posts detailing prednisone therapy would come to the same conclusion. You are an exception to the rule, and I am happy for you. Seriously. No bullshit.
I have already acknowledged that the last time YOU tried it, it actually terminated your cycle. Please believe me when I say, AGAIN, that I am delighted that it worked for you. But also please believe me when I say that your case is far from the norm. For the vast majority of people, it DOES NOT END THE CYCLE... it only gives you a temporary break if the dose is high enough.
That is all that I said in my first post... that prednisone is not "the answer". I didn't discourage anyone from giving it a try, I just said that once the taper was finished, the pain would almost certainly return. The anecdotal evidence of three years worth of posts on this forum bear me out.
If the pain doesn't return... hey, great! I'm happier than a pig in shit, and I don't say that in a facetious manner. BUT... I was warning that if the pain does return (as it does in 90 + per cent of people who try it) then they had better be prepared to either stay on it for months at a time, and risk some VERY heavy side effects, or use that "pain holiday" to load up on verapamil or lithium or topomax or *shudder* sansert or something else more benign than prednisone.
If you still choose to interpret it as a blanket condemnation of prednisone... well... so be it. I believe that most clusterheads actually paid attention in those "reading comprehension" classes.
pinky