Prednisone to supplement low levels of natural steroids

[bobh]

I avoided meds for 15 years, suffering with MC. Here's a link to my other post in the Meds section, detailing how a horrific 6 month flare was HALTED within 24 hours using Prednisone, using a rapidly declining dose for about 10 days: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=29852.

It has been 2 months now, and I have had a formed stool every day, an amazing recovery. Keep in mind that I had completely eliminated all wheat following a Dr. Fine lab test 3 years ago - but no improvement in symptoms. Tried several elimination diets, no grains, but just wasn't getting better. The Meds fixed me - and I am thankful.

But my other problems - brain fog & allergies - started to hammer me about 10 days ago. I met with my Dr yesterday, and wanted to open up a discussion on Prednisone. Quietly mentioning the word "Prednisone" is kind of like shouting FIRE in a crowded movie theater. People are going to have some sort of reaction to the word.

This post is focused on the medical side of things, and is in the Med forum. I am doing a separate post in the Main forum titled "Inflammatory Bowel, Brain, and Body" to see if others have any similar conditions, or chat.

I have been very lucky to have the same great MD for 10 years. His office is like a health food store, shelfs full of vitamins & natural remedies. But he is an Internal Specialist, very trained, but tries natural cures before resorting to the American Med Association (Cut, Burn, Poison) methods. I have seen Gary repeatedly for my "wipe-out" recurrences, and "D" over the years. We have tried every natural remedy in the book. I have gone to Mexico for therapies that aren't done here. So don't think that I just "cop out" and take a pill, I didn't do that lightly.

Gary says there is a naturally occurring substance in the body - if you don't have it, you die. It is a steroid that deals with the immune system, adrenals, the hypothalamus (which controls everything), etc. We have deduced that my body doesn't make enough of it, and the "man made" equivalent is a LOW DOSE of Prednisone. In contrast to the "halt the flare" attack 2 months ago, this is not going to be a high dose - short burst. This is going to be a much lower "maintenance" type dose, we are going to do it for 30 days then discuss where to go from there.

This is the first morning after my little 15mg of Prednisone yesterday, and it has already "lifted the fog". I don't have the euphoric effect I did 2 months ago when I started with 60mg, full of energy, but there is a very noticeable "hey I don't feel like garbage today".

Update of November 6, 2006: the benefit I was getting from the Prednisone only lasted 2 days - then felt rather awful with head pressures and "brick-headed". Saw my MD today, and I am off of it. As noted on other threads, the Pred helped halt a flair for me 2 months ago, I am going to stay off of it now.

Update of March 2007 An adrenal Cortisol test of January 2007 revealed very low levels of Cortisol, when taken at 4 different times of the day (called a 24 hour saliva test). I did a lot of research, and found the closest replacement to the body's own Cortisol is a prescription called Cortef, which is a lot easier on the body than Prednisone. I feel no side effects from it. More on that story here http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5742

I had been taking Entocort when I went on the Cortef, my Flair had been halted previously, and so I eventually went off the Entocort (expensive but effective med). My remission continues as of this writing 3-25-07
======== Update of 2012, May 19 ===========>
Adrenal support alone did not maintain remission. Several months after my 2007 remission I was "as bad as ever" and decided to go back to Entocort (which handled it completely). I have been using Entocort "as needed" for about 5 or 6 years now with no known side effects or problems. I am thankful to have a remedy that works for me.