Please share your experiences with Prednisolone

Digestive health
1

So I’ve been taking Prednisolone for nearly the past 3 weeks now

Started at 6 x 5mg pills for the first 2 weeks, now doctor wants me to taper off 1 pill each week, so I’m on 5 this week and 4 as of next etc. 

Now I guess you could say it is very much sort of working in the sense that just before I went on it, I experienced a bit more pain, but I still have a slight occasionally burning in the same spot which worries me. I also still have bleeding and unformed stools and urgency. 

How long can Prednisolone take to work for some people?

I had a sigmoidoscopy the other day and the doctor said it looks like colitis (still waiting on biopsy results), I told him “it’s been 2 weeks and the Prednisolone hasn’t seemed to properly work, should I still definitely go down to 5 pills instead of staying on 6?” - he said yes and that I should just ‘give it more time’ - however everything I read online says people feel cured from it in days?! 

It’s really scaring me because I’m terrified at the thought of getting surgery to have my colon removed?! Maybe I shouldn’t worry about that as if the doctor thought it looked serious from the sigmoidoscopy, he would have been more concerned and not just told us to stick to our current treatment plan with the steroids. 

I guess my main questions here are 

1) are there lots of alternative medications to try if Prednisolone doesn’t work? 

2) how long can Prednisolone take to put colitis in remission? 

3) is it normal to be 2/3 weeks into Prednisolone treatment and still be experiencing bleeding? 

Should I just relax and follow the doctors advise of ‘giving it time’

My pain isn’t bad bad, it’s an occasional light (burning?) sensation in the same place often comes after a poo or eating - I think my anxiety just makes me freak out whenever I feel this slight pain. On the  plus side, the day before I went on the Prednisolone, the pain was maybe the worst it’s been, it would hurt when I’d cough, when I’d laugh or sit up. I don’t have that regularly now really so I guess it is working in a way? 

Any replies greatly appreciated 

2

Hi, the Predisolone took about 3 weeks to work properly for me and I was on the same course as yours.  There are other medications you can take which you will need to speak to your doctor or IBD specialist about. The prednisolene is great while you are on it and good for easing your symptoms but it won’t keep you in remission as it isn’t a long term medication. Definitely speak to a doctor about other medications for Ulcerative Colitis if that is what you definitely have. 

Hope that helps.

R 

3

I have also been on this treatment, with slowly tapering off weekly. Like the previous CV comment, this is not long term treatment. Talk to your doctor about your pain and anxiety. There are medications to help you. If you want to explore alternatives, talk to your doctor as well. CBD oil is gaining momentum as a possible addition to your regimen, along with yoga, exercise, stretching, diet, turmeric, ect...good luck to you. This disease is a continuous work in progress...a marathon. I have had UC for 30 years and am constantly reading and bringing information/studies to my doctor. Enjoy your times of remission, and try to stay calm during flares! Good luck!

4

Thanks Ruth, it's reassuring to hear it took you 3 weeks. I think just reading all these people saying that it resolved things for them in '2 days' made me feel extremely nervous about why i didnt feel back to normal yet!! Still in a pretty big mental battle with myself while im working towards diagnosis. 

5

Thanks Pamela! Good to hear, very interested in the use of CBD oil, have you used it yourself? 

I realise it's not long term treatment, (and nor would I want to be on it long term after reading about the side effects) - i guess im just not sure what im expecting it to do, does it just calm down flares + then medication helps put it in remission or should the steroids be able to put it in remission too? To be honest I should just stop worrying and follow my doctors advise of giving it time. This pre-diagnosis point is scary, like i said, after the sigmoidoscopy the doctor said it 'looks like colitis' but im still waiting on biopsy results to find out what type etc. - then waiting on a follow up appointment with the doctor. I guess if the doctor was worried from what he saw he wouldn't have been so casual with me!! 

6

Yes there are mental battles with UC but try not to stress as it can make the symproms worse. Good luck. Let us know how you get on x 

7

For me it took a good 3 weeks too before i started to see real results; but it almost took the full course before the blood stopped completely. I wasn't in pain though, I had urgency to go and blood e.t.c. I was diagnosed as having u.c or crohns following my colonscopy and was on a 8 week course of Prednisolone . (started with 8 reducing by 1 per week) That was in January and these days I am on Mesalazine which keeps things mostly under control. Some days are better than others but I generally don't bleed any more or have to run to the bathroom constantly all day. Finish the course and be patient; once you cross the halfway point you should hopefully see some improvement. smile

8

Unfortunately, oral Prednisolone did nothing for my gut as my disease is quite low, rectum I guess.  I was eventually prescribed Colifoam by the consultant - after taking 9 months to get me off the Prednisolone.  I was on a huge dose but I don't think they do that these days.

Keep talking to your doctor and voicing your concerns.  Don't give up and I hope you start to feel better very soon.

9

thanks Ruth!!! your reply is greatly greatly appreciated. Not confirmed I have UC yet and i dont know the differences between any of the types of colitis but i just know UC is the most common - as far as im aware. 

10

Funny sorry,

I have had stomach troubles for a while and had a phase of bad sinusitis symptoms (turned out to be TMJ!). I kept getting prednisolone for my sinusitis symptoms and 2 weeks at 30mg a day, by day 2-3 I would feel amazing. Pain reducing, stomach easing and fatigue lightening. After I stopped it came back.

It did make my anxiety worse but it was a good trade off.

I was on and off them 2/3 times and then got a kenalog injection as each time I felt so much better.

Turns out the steroids were secretly treating colitis and no my sinuses which were in fact perfectly healthy.