Prednisolone

[Kandi2]

Please advise: is anyone with emphysema on a maintenance dose of prednisolone?

I have been prescribed this over and over again for short 5/7 day periods. I am living a rollercoaster existence and am extremely depressed.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Hi Kandi I have an emergency dose of antibiotics and steroids. On days like this when starting with yet another chest infection I'm glad of them. You take care hope you feel better soon. Love Bernadette xx 😊

[skischool]

Hi i have very severe Emphysema and i am not prescribed any form of maintenance steroid,i was given to understand that steroids were only prescribed for short term use if one had a chest infection and/or if one had an underlying inflammatory condition associated with the Emphysema?,,,,,,,best wishes Skis and scruffs

[kflatt]

There are a number of members that are on a maintenance dose. I am sure some of them will soon answer.

[gingermusic]

I have an emergency pack of these along with antibiotics for when I have a flare up with a chest infection

[caroleoctober16]

I have severe emphysema stage 4 and am on a maintenance dose of prednisolone 5mg a day and have been for a few years now. There are a couple of side effects though. They are weakening of the bones, I have osteopenia, and cataracts which I have the start of. I have tried doing without them but find that I cough a lot then which is very tiring! Keep smiling

Carole x

[Sjf129903 in reply to caroleoctober16]

I can't seem to get below 20mg and I start to PANIC

[janice01 in reply to Sjf129903]

Ive been the same since Feb.

Am reducing 2.5 every 7 days this time.

Have developed steroid induced diabetes.

Moon face etc....

Hope to reduce usage by small stages.

Usually asthma kicks off if not on 20mg....

Dont give up hope though.

Have doubled strength of seretide so hopeful this time.

Janice 01

[anng1814]

My mother has been on a roller coaster with steroids. Given them for 5-7 days - can't cope coming of them so given lower doses to gradually come of them. She has found that they make her very depressed, her vitamin D levels have gone very low, they have affected the balance of electrolytes, her potassium levels have also gone down and she has put weight on around her waist. Worse of all, they have affected her short term memory and definitely make her more aggressive. After at least two years of this roller coaster, she is finally not on them. She couldn't breathe yesterday morning and was tempted to take some again, but used her nebuliser instead and that helped her a lot without all the unpleasant side effects. She was really quite proud of herself.

I am very sympathetic to you Kandi, as I've seen what steroids can do. You are not going mad, it is the side effects of the drug. My mum has got a mixture of lung problems, but primarily emphysema, which I also have. I'm stage 3/4 emphysema and refuse to touch steroids!

Take care of yourself and I hope you soon start to feel better.

[conventgirl]

I have been prescribed 80 mgs of that steroid daily for Sarcoïdosis but alarmed at taking 16 pills of them so have taken none and battling through exercise

Good luck xx

[lKeith]

Kandi2

Hi, I've got severe emphysema and have been told by my GP to only take the prednisilone when I take my emergency antibiotics and to see him ASAP after the chest infection , otherwise I don't take them. Some GP's however do take the same line as your GP. They act to build you up when you've got problems. Get an appointment and check whether you need them on a regular basis, but always expect to take them when you are taking the stand-by meds.

IKeith

[hallentine47]

Hi Kandi. Yes I am on a maintenance dose of Prednisolone currently 9 mg a day reduced slowly from 40mg a day during infection. I have emphysema and COPD and several other vascular problems and prostate problems but cannot reduce further due to my breathlessness which becomes intolerable if I stop taking the steroid. This has been the case for 4 years.

[janice01 in reply to hallentine47]

Sorry to learn that....

Its the Asthma that is triggered by lowering.

Have Bronchiectasis and at times

Colonised pseudonymous.

Lung function 32%

Take care of yourself

Janice....

[Stumpy55]

Hello Kandi1, I too suffer with very severe Emphaseama, I am on another course of steroid and Doxycycline rescue pack which runs out Thursday. I always have a back up rescue pack for when I have a bad chest infection and struggle very hard to breathe, plus I'm on 5mil per day all the time. I'm afraid that when I'm struggling I will take them no matter what the side affects are, I just need to cope. My nebuliser is not enough for me at those times. We all have our views and I respect that ,but I just do what is right for me. I hope you feel better soon . 🤞😉xx

[GingerCatJayne]

Hi Kandi2, chest problems, as you have discovered, are a far from easy to understand. I have interstitial lung disease and was prescribed prednisolone over a year ago. In Feb, I took a turn for the worse and ended up with pneumonia and flu and a month in ICU - a week on a ventilator. For me, the prednisolone is working and now my consultants are taking me off it and looking at transferring me to another drug. I have depression and this is compounded by being unable to get out and about with any ease. If you can at least get out, try a local craft group to see if that helps with your depression. Best of luck xx