Am 59 years of age , 6' 2" tall and 215 lbs., in good health and have
the usual aches and pains due to "arthritic changes". I work-out
(weights & aerobic) at least 5 days a week.

I recently came back from a scuba diving trip and had water trapped in
my ears. The ENT gave me an Rx for an antibiotic and prednisone, the
latter to dry out the water, which it did. The prednisone tabs were
prescribed as 1-20 mg. tab twice a day for 7 days , then 1-20 mg. tab
daily for 7 days.

During the time I was taking the prednisone I was aware of a nearly
complete absence of my aches and pains. I realize that prednisone is a
very powerful drug with lots of negative effects, especially
cumulatively.

I was wondering though if it could be taken in very small doses (5
mg.or 10 mg. daily) without causing any problems? Can it be taken
"as needed" ?

Otherwise I end up taking lots of aspirin or ibuprofen, each with their
own sometimes nasty side-effects.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Sy

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:300920070826031058%stuttgart6@lycos.com...
I had a friend whose neurologist put him on low dose prednisone in attempt
to repair some nerve damage in a wrist. He said after taking one pill his
resting heart rate went to 150 beats per minute.

Prednisone is some pretty nasty stuff. I wouldn't take it.

Hi Sy,,,, It comes in one mg on up. You took a pretty good dose to
cover your ears and over all inflammation. Prednisone is serious stuff.
It thins the skin, it thins the bones and other things. It also does a
bang up job of controlling inflammation. Your body builds its own pred.
like steroid and puts it in your system every morning to get you ready for
the day about 5 mg. As you probably found out, it interferes with sleep if
taken before bedtime and with some people, hot flashes.
Talk to your family doctor about extended use at a low dose. A person
has to taper down from trying to stop its use.
Harv

"Harvey R. Stone" <hrstone@swbell.net> wrote in message
news:_3ULi.56247$YL5.49201@newssvr29.news.prodigy. net...
Ps and it is a major cause of acid reflux and/or ulcers.

[[ This message was both posted and mailed: see
the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for details. ]]


Hi,

I didn't find any side effects but then I only used it for a total of 2
weeks. One week @40 mg., the 2nd. week @20 mg.

Would you think a 1mg. dose would cause a problem? Is there
"habituation" to the predisone? As I said the alternative is lots of
NSAIDS which have their own side-effect profile.

Sy





In article <_3ULi.56247$YL5.49201@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net> , Harvey
R. Stone <hrstone@swbell.net> wrote:

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:011020071400125121%stuttgart6@lycos.com...
all the information I know about. When a person uses 10 mg or more for an
extended period of time,,, the body stops producing its own. Two weeks of
treatment is not an extended period of time.
Harv

[[ This message was both posted and mailed: see
the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for details. ]]


Hi Harvey,

I didn't realize that the body produces it's own predsnisone.

It's been at least 10 days since I stopped taking the pred. and I am
still free of "normal" aches and pains that I've had for years
(particularly in the a.m.).

Is it possible that taking the pred. tabs may have "kick started" my
own endogenous pred. production or could it be a residual effect of the
pred. tabs I was taking?

Thanks,

Sy



In article <_3ULi.56247$YL5.49201@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net> , Harvey
R. Stone <hrstone@swbell.net> wrote:

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:061020071837089657%stuttgart6@lycos.com...
Hi Sy,,, I would think its the residual effect. Prednisone really is
something you and your doctor have to work on but I am going to give you my
opinion,
most doctors will not do you any good. It takes an RD.
Harv

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos.com> wrote on September 30:



"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos.com> wrote in alt.support.cancer.prostate on October
4



You've been diagnosed with PCa and you consider yourself "in good health?"



.... "Micro" and Soft" -- Billy Gates needs Viagra, not another update.