i'm new in this form

asmo · Newbie Alert Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

i'm writing on behalf of my wife, she was diagnosed with lupus about 3y ago,
the funny think is, since she was diagnosed lupus has been active, her doctor put her on prednisone since day 1 (around 10-15 mg) depends on the pain, recently, she added cellcept, to the combination, 20mg a day, but she is doing really bad, it gets worst everyday, prednisone causes high blood pressure, and diabetic. we are trying to get off of prednisone but it seems impossible. you guys know the story already Crying or Very sad

cheryl_v · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

So sorry for your wife, and you for having to live seeing someone go through the disease. This place is wonderful. The two of you will get lots of love and support Smile

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Cheryl

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. (author: Nick Miller, I believe)

mnjodette · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject:

I'm so sorry, asmo, that your wife is struggling with her medications. Sometimes the 'cure' is nearly as bad as the disease. You're a good husband to worry about her. I hope this site is a good source of support for the two of you.

Jody
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asmo · Newbie Alert Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

thanks a lot guys for your worm support, i have a lot to learn about the disease and the cure, specially the cure, i believe that prednisone is the worst treatment ever suggested for lupus, she is only one prednesone and cellcept, does anybody have any experience with these? is there any other medication that i can suggest at her doctor ?
thanks everyone

Saysusie · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject:

Hi Asmo;
Unfortunately, there IS NO CURE for Lupus. What we and our doctors attempt to do is to manage the symptoms and avoid a flare-up, so that we can live reasonably normal lives.
Prednisone is the cornerstone treatment for Lupus. Prednisone is very similar to the hormone cortisone, which the body manufactures. It is a corticosteroid (not an anabolic steroid like athletes use). Part of what Prednisone does is it acts as an immunosuppressant. Our immune system protects against foreign bacteria and viruses. In Lupus, the immune system produces auto antibodies, which become overactive and causes many of the undesirable effects of Lupus (pain, fatigue, inflammation).
Prednisone suppresses the production of these harmful auto antibodies. This suppression can make it slightly harder for patients to fight off infection, but the important thing is that the suppression stabilizes the immune system that has become overactive as a result of Lupus.
Another important aspect of Prednisone is that it also acts as an anti-inflammatory. As I mentioned before, many of the symptoms of lupus are the result of inflammation, which can occur in various tissues of and organs of our bodies. Cortisone, the steroid manufactured naturally by our body's adrenal glands, has been found to have a distinct anti-inflammatory effect.
Cortisone medications made synthetically (like Prednisone) are among the most effective anti-inflammatory drugs known. Although these drugs can cause undesirable side effects, their use can substantially reduce the symptoms associated with the inflammation of Lupus.
Prednisone is most often used in tablets of 1, 5, 10, and 20 milligrams (mg). It may be given as often as four times each day, as infrequently as once every other day, or at any frequency in between. 10 mg per day or less is generally considered a low dose; 11 to 40 mg daily is a moderate dose; and 41 to 100 mg daily is a high dose.
Steroids may also be given by intra-muscular (IM) injection into the skin for discoid rashes, or may be injected directly into a joint. Occasionally, if symptoms are aggressive, very large doses of steroids can be given for a short period of time and then slowly tapered. This treatment, is referred to as pulse steroids , where the patient is given 1000 mg of methyl-prednisolone intravenously each day for three days.
Despite their side effects (and there are many), corticosteroid drugs remain an important medical treatment for Lupus. But, perhaps you and your wife can ask about low-dose Prednisone with intermittent dosing. Newer forms of corticosteroids come in varying strengths and lengths of action. Ask your doctor about using low-dose, short-term medications or taking oral corticosteroids every other day instead of daily.
I wish you both the very best. Please come to us, at any time, if you have any questions or if you just need a safe place to talk!

Peace and Blessings
Saysusie
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