Any advice about body pain and weight loss after tapering Prednisone?
601357
Hello, \n   Have also COPD, diagnosed in 99, was able to finally shed 30 lbs last year.  For muscle pain (muscle spasms) I take Magnesium and Potassium.  Keeping active (have to push myself) also helps me alot. If you have access to a Pulmonary Rehab Program, try it, had a total positive affect on me. Please contact me if you wish to exchange more info. Also would appreciate learning anything you have done with positive effects...thank you and\n\nTake care and better breathing to you...
73519
I also have ulcerative colitis.  My first flare up I lost 45 pounds.  There were NO foods I could eat without causing me pain and intestinal cramps.  Anything passing through an ulcerated intestine will cause pain.  I am assuming your nephew has a severe case like I did the first time.  I was sick for eight months before I was finally diagnosed (this was back before ulcerative colitis was readily thought of as an illness) and put on several treatment regimines until finally one worked.  To be honest, while I was sick I kept trying to eat healthy foods and a well balanced diet to help my body heal.  It was a painful ordeal the entire time and at age 17 wearing diapers to high school is a very embarrassing thing.  Unfortunately, it had to be endured.  Don't worry about building muscle weight at this time, it is inappropriate to the illness.  Just try to maintain the weight your nephew is at now.  Eating fatty foods, however, generally agravates the system with or without colitis and excess fiber might cause problems as well but didn't make a difference with me. Mainly, concentrate on getting healthy.  It wasn't until I went into remission that I was able to regain weight to a healthy state.  I have had several more flare ups since then and at the first sign I go to the doctor.  We have figured out the combination of drugs that works for me:  Azulfadine and a 21 day prednisone treatment.  Unfortunately the prednisone causes weight gain, but if you are careful with your diet this can be avoided and it only lasts one month.  This puts me right back into remission and I can be healthy again.  I urge your nephew to become aggressive with his treatment.  I had to see five different doctors before I found one that even tried to work some options with me.  He MUST get into remission before he truly can add the amount of weight he needs.  There are many treatment options available, and unfortunately, all the people I know with U.C. need different treatments or different combinations of them. It might take a while to find the combination that works for him.  Also your nephew might be one of those unfortunate people that really should have their colons removed because thay do not respond to any treatment.  Agian, this is a very dramatic thing to have done and is really a last resort, but if his health is at risk, he should get it done.  I have three friends who have had this procedure (only one had it because of colitis) and all three lead normal, active, healthy lives.  One is even expecting a baby any day now!!!  Not that your nephew would ever get pregnant, but this procedure is not the end of a normal lifestyle.  I hope your nephew enters remission soon and that he has a positive outlook on his illness in the future.  I know colitis is chronic.  I will always have it and it is a part of me that I have to deal with.  I am so thankful it isn't anything worse.  You can survive and live with this unlike many other illnesses. I will keep your family in my prayers.\n\nBeen there and done that. (And survived that!)
301241
I have mild scoliosis along with a herniated disc in my lower back.  I've only had one bout of very severe pain and it lasted about 4 months.  It was so bad it kept me awake at night and I walked with a limp and I thought I was going to have to have surgery but I really wanted to avoid that.  I went to a chiropractor and he did help the limp but the pain only got worse.  What finally helped me get rid of the pain was when my doctor prescribed a round of Prednisone to help with the inflammation.  It finally eased the pain enough that I could get some sleep.  After I finished the Prednisone and was enough better that I could at least function, he sent me to a Physical Therapist to learn some helpful exercises.  I had to do them every day but the improvement in the pain was definitely enough to keep me doing the exercises.  The next step for me was weigh loss. I lost 115 pounds and started doing all kinds of different exercises from aerobics, to running, to weight lifting.  I have been completely pain free for over almost a year and a half now and I managed to avoid surgery.  Good luck with your pain, I know it's excruciating and miserable to have to live with back pain.  I hope you get it resovled soon.
228609
If you saw your doctor soon after you were diagnosed, you might have gotten a little better with prednisone (steroids) and acyclovir (antivirals).  Eye lubrication drops to your eyes will make them feel better.  \n\nUnfortunately, the reality of the situation is that you may never get better.  Odds are that you will completely recover or get significantly better, but there is a possibility that you won't.
487604
Unfortunately, I did, but it was a combination of symptoms that led to the diagnosis of Type II diabetes for me.\n\nMy eyesight was very blurry, I was tired, thirsty, running to the bathroom, headaches...I didn't know the effects of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) after taking Prednisone.  After complaining to my parents, they took my blood sugar.  It read 526.  Was rushed to the hospital the next morning when it read 327, and stayed that way for 4 hours afterward.\n\nMy eyesight problems scared me the most because I like to read, not to mention watching TV.  At the time I couldn't see past 10 feet; driving was a nightmare.  I didn't go blind, but I might as well have because I couldn't see too much of anything anyway.
343362
It depends what you mean by steroids.If you are taking about glucocorticoids such as prednisone,there is a danger that you will have a flare up of the disease for which you were taking the drug.i.e. an autoimmune disease.If you are taking about anabolic steroids you should taper slowly so that your testes will start producing it again otherwise you will have no sex drive.
1141321
Don't be anxious about stopping it.  It is advised to taper off.  Replace with natural if your worried about night sweats and such.  Your body expects the change in hormones.
1067791
The only thing that's been able to help me after numerous drugs is an injectable drug called Enbrel. It actually eased the pain of RA. I have psoriatic arthritis which is a drop different because mine comes with a lovely rash. :-( But since they are in the same family, I suggest you asking your rheumatologist. The one major side effect of the drug is that it hurts you r immune system and you are very susceptible to every illness out there..viruses, the flu. The other thing I receive is cortisone injections in my knees. My knees were particularly bad, and the cortisone made me feel like a new woman. There are risks for that as well. Please talk with the doctor. There's no reason why you should live in pain.\n\nP.S. All of the anti-inflammatory drugs they'll try to give you for the pain won't work well, and will tear up your stomach.
437663
Treatment usually consists of large doses of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation along with immunosuppressant drugs to counter the body's autoimmune response. Treatment usually lasts for at least one year to eighteen months, with medication doses gradually being reduced over the period as long as the inflammation remains under control. Full recoveries have been recorded with some patients experiencing no relapses. Past studies have shown that the 5 year survival rate for PAN with no treatment is 13%, with steroids alone 50%, and with steroids and immunosuppressants 80%+, but survival rates are increasing as treatment regimes become better focussed. \n\nBase treatment is fairly well established, but even so full scientific consensus is not 100% agreed upon. However, recent evidence points to a requirement in the first instance of an aggressive treatment with cortico-steroids (daily 500mg IV pulses of methylpredisolone for one to three days) followed by prednisolone at 1mg/kg bodyweight per day for 4 to 6 weeks (orally) after which the dose can be tapered progressively. Concurrent immunosuppressants are compulsory comprising 125mg daily Cyclophosphamide (orally). Current wisdom also suggests benefits with pulses of cyclophosphamide at 0.5. to 0.6gr/sqm at days 0, 15, 30 and then every 4 weeks for 6 pulses. Again the cyclophosphamide can be progressively tapered and a maintenance treatment with Azathioprine is indicated at 2mg/kg bodyweight per day. Imuran is often used as a replacement therapy for Cyclophosphamide as well.
896067
Normal ! This is normal when tapering off of this steroid.  The problem is, you need to go back up an increment so that the muscle spasms stop.  I would contact your dr and tell him that you're going through Prednisone Withdrawl Symptoms.  He will or at least SHOULD, up your dosage just a very small bit, so that the spasms go away.  Then you need to taper off SLOWER than before or you will end up with spasms in other parts of your body.  I had this trouble years ago, and the muscle spasms were so bad that I needed help from my mom to be able to sit on the toilette.  Horrible experience.  Also, try drinking anything with calcium in it and also eat bannanas.
740886
I would say go to your doctor but since you dont want to hear that all the advice i can give to you is: Stick to a healthy diet, leave out your last evening meal of the day and drink a pint of water instead.  Dont nibble when your hungry thats a very bad move. If you are really that hungry again drink water instead.  Also take a walk every day about 10 minutes after each meal if you can. It doesnt have to be a swift walk, but dont drag your feet.  A gentle walk for about 30minutes.  This will burn off any calories gained from each meal.  No matter how healthy you are eating each food still contains a certain amount of calories.\n\nOn advice for your pain.......I do alot of Aromatherapy.  Im NOT a proper qualified Trained Aromatherapist but have taught myself and Ive helped lots of my friends and family with alsorts of problems and still do.\nIf you can go to a health shop get yourself the following oils, they arent exspensive i promise.\nCARRIER OIL to blend with your chosen oils.\n1) ROMAN CHAMOMILE treats Muscular aches n pains n \n    inflammed joints.\n\n2)LAVENDER (This you do not need a carrier oil as its \n    safe to use neat on the skin).  Treats headaches, \n    migraine, muscular aches n a nerve sedative.\n\n3) PATCHOULI Stomache aches.\n\n4) ROSEMARY Muscular aches n pains, backache, fluid \n    retention, rheumatism n poor circulation.\n\n5) EUCALYPTUS Aches n pains including bachache.\n\nJust mix your chosen oil with a bottle of carrier oil and massage into the area twice daily.  Best time is just before bed.  Keep this up till either your pains decrease or are no more.  YOU SHOULD NOT GET AN ALLERGIC REACTION to any of the above oils but incase you have sentive skin either use just a few drops of chosen oil into 5 tablespoons of carrier oil for each massage or consult your GP first.  \n\nI could go on and list more oils suitable for you but these i know are easy to obtain.\n\nGood luck and hope ive been of some help
886462
My honest opinion for you is that it is going to suck for a bit.  You will have discomfort at first usually well controlled with pain medications.  You will also have to be wired shut for a few weeks (usually for about 6 weeks) where you will have to consume mostly a liquid diet.  Afterward, your muscles will be sore and tight. BUT, I PROMISE YOU, IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT IN THE END!!!!!  I have seen and been part of a few of these cases and actually had a friend who had it done about a year ago and everyone that I have asked, would do it again in a heartbeat!  Hope that this proves helpful, good luck with it!
730516
It sounds like tendinitis or inflamed tendons which can be very painful and last for quite some time occasionally. I eventually had a few cortisone treatments injected into the affected area and after 3 it was gone and didn't come back , mean while the cortisone took care of the pain. You man consider this option. Your symptoms sound very similar to mine.
1058250
This is a common side effect of prednisone. You should call your physician and ask him or her to prescribe an alternative steroid (like Medrol). This is usually as effective and has a better side effect profile.
508952
I was dignosed with IC over 2 yrs ago.I find that caffeine, acidic foods/drinks, like citrus, tomatoe etc bother me.Alcohol bothered me the most,(Never a big drinker, but every once in a while I would have a couple) I do not drink at all anymore,it is not worth it.One time a few drinks sent me into a 6 week flare.Elmiron has helped me quite a bit.(Some people it causes stomach problem is, but have found if you tke it out of the capsule it doesn't, as it is not the med, but the capsule it is in.)You might want to get a pain mgmt Dr if you do not have one.I take suboxone for pain and it helps, I take Norco and Naproxen for breakthrough pain.I also take Vistaril,Flomax,valium and or muscle relaxers,and pyridium.You need to have your pain "managed" You do not need to suffer.If your uro is not sympathetic to your pain, find another one, I know I had to at first.I also get bladder distentions with DMSO every 3 months that seem to help with the other symptoms, but not so much with pain.There is a website that has info on IC, and a diet for IC. www.ic-network.com
490647
Before taking pain killers, try drinking lots of water frequently: 1 oz of water for every 5 lbs of body weight everyday!  Soda's don't count because of sugar.\n\nThis worked for me 99% of the time!
788547
I have the same problem, hurts on the side of my heel.  Hard to walk when I get up, but noticed the more I walk the less it hurts.  Dr. said it was tendonitis.  It was beginning to affect my calves as well, but I think that was more from changing my walking patterns to avoid the pain.  Just keep stretching your foot and rubbing it before you put weight on it.  Heat also helps.  If it gets severe, they can do surgery with a tendon lengthening, but try other alternatives first.  Might be bone spurs.  Some chiropractors can help with that by using ultrasound treatments.  Also cortisone injections help and make you feel like you're walking on cotton balls, but the injection itself hurts pretty bad, then total relieve for about a week then right back where you started.  See a doc if it doesn't resolve.  Mine went away on its on after about 3 weeks and after I bought a new pair of tennis shoes and wore them even in the house.  Don't go barefooted!  Hope this helped!!