What a fool

[Bullwinkle]

So here I am , I had to pump up my prednisone...was tapering off to fast and was hurting in the chest , legs hands, neck big time, plus the headaches would have won awards. I started Imuran at the same time as I began my taper ( 2nd down taper one month before this one)... why not...everyone raved at how good Imuran was.
BUT no one told me it was like plaquenil .... takes forever to get into your system (like months). I thought "if it's that good (like pred) it'll only take a few days" Ha, Dummy assumption. Now just 2 nd day on more pred and feel like typing and sharing this anecdote. Not on top of the world, but leaving Antartica....which is good.
Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope next year will be better than this year for all !!!

[fenrus]

aren't you taking your medications under your doctor's supervision?

[balla]

Bullwinkle, what do you call to fast as i am tapering under my nuerologist supervision,went into hospital for 5 days iv steroids, then on to 40mg and now down to 30mg where he as told me to be at untill i go back on the 10th jan, Then he will advise me again as to where to go from there as on imuran.If your not doing it with doctors advise i would be little worried.

bye for now sue xxx

[Clare.T]

As my mother would comment dryly, "You are alive to tell the tale "

Thanks for sharing your experience - it's always best not to change an existing medication when a new one is added, unless your doctor tells you to of course, because you can't tell what's doing what, if side effects are due to old drug dose decreasing or from the new one, and can't judge what benefits the new one is bringing.

I hope you will be getting the frequent regular tests that are standard when first starting on Imuran.

Take good care BW !

:)

Clare

[helloos]

Your humor about the situation is enlightening:rotfl:

I trust that you are under the supervision of your doc with your medications and just thought that these would kick in faster.

I hope that you feel a little better and things start to improve.

Enjoy your holiday.

[Bullwinkle]

My problem (other than just being me) is that I am seeing two "ologists" (plus my GP) and one gave me the Imuran, explained the testing and said it was "so that you can taper off or down on prednisone", which I didn't think to ask just how this "taper" is to take place and when. Next time I get to see her is in March ( waiting lists all full up ....man). So I proceed on my own (Dr. Numskull). Then I go to this other ologist , whom I like and has done the most for me, and she gives me a big spanking for doing this "taper" on my own. She tells me I should listen to her. "Yes, ma'am, I say" sheepishly, and smarting from the reprimand.:( Then she explains how SHE is going to taper me and when etc. :) Plus , she is hard to get in to see, so she set me up with app'ts. in Jan and March '07. So in the long round about way things have worked out. I became wiser. Not any healthier, but more "ologist" savy.:rolleyes:
Thanks again for your replies..

[flutterbye]

(((((((((Big Hugs!)))))))))))))
Hope you are doing better now!
Wishing you the very best with the Imuran. Take care of yourslef!

[WalkingWolf]

Tapering pred can be very painful (as is typing after cutting off the tip of your finger making dinner last evening ha ha). I am having to go down 1mg at a time and wait at least six weeks between reductions. My MD has attributed this to the fact that I have been on pred for ~27 yrs now. It's not easy but it helps a lot when you can still see the humor.

take care
eddie