Barely any symptoms, still Prednisone ?

Hello,

About a year ago I got diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.

The only symptoms I've had was a little slime and every now and then a little blood whenever I went to the toilet.

I've been using the the following medicins since may last year:
2g Pentasa Granulate
3mg Beclomethasone / 4g mesalazine enema's

The symptoms went away after about 3 months and the doctor told me I could stop using the enema's. I went from daily usage to 4 times a week, to 2 times a week, to once a week.

The week when I was finaly done taking the enema's, blood started appearing again randomly in my stool.

My doctor told me to start using Prednisolone and Pentasa 3g for a few weeks.

As followed:
1 week 40mg
1 week 35mg
1 week 30mg
1 week 25mg
1 week 20mg
etc. etc.


Would it be a wise idea to use Prednisolone in this situation ? I've read some really bad things about Prednisolone. I barely have any symptons, no pain, no diarrhea, only little blood every now and then.

Thanks.


PS: Please ask if some parts are unclear, I live in the Netherlands and had to translate alot of words. We don't have any good forums over here

Hi Rovi, Is this your normal doctor or your specialist that has prescribed the Pred? Prednisolone should stop the bleeding which is what he's probably most concerned about.

If it's your normal doctor that has prescribed this and not the specialist, why not give your specialist or your IBD nurse if you have one a phone and let them know your concerns. Prednisolone isn't a bad drug, it just looks bad when you read up on it because it has a lot of side effects.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help

Hi,

One of the reasons why treatment is often recommended even if your symptoms are not too bad is that Inflammatory Bowel Disease left untreated can lead to scarring and other complications later on. This is the case with Crohn's at least, and I suspect it may be true of Ulcerative Colitis too. Also without treatment the disease is more likely to worsen and in some instances may reach a point where, for example, emergency surgery is needed - it's far better to initiate treatment before reaching that point, though of course that doesn't always happen and if your disease is pretty mild that may be an unlikely scenario, but it is possible.

It's also impossible to know what side-effects you would get from prednisolone without your trying it. You will almost certainly not get all the potential side-effects, and the shorter the time you are taking it for, and the lower the dose, the milder the side-effects should be. A few weeks is unlikely to cause any lasting side-effects - they should disappear when you stop taking the med. There are also often things you can do to counter any side-effects which might arise, e.g. sleeping meds if you experience insomnia, dietary changes if you experience increased appetite, etc. Are there any side-effects you're particularly worried about?

That said, it is a scary med and I understand your reluctance to take it. It is really a matter of whether you trust your doctor's recommendation. Clearly he expects prednisolone to be of benefit to you. Have you discussed your concerns with him? You could try asking him if there are any different treatments that might help. Have you had tests done recently to assess the current status of your disease? Also, do you have the option of seeking the opinion of another doctor?

You might like to also post your questions in the Ulcerative Colitis forum here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=69 and/or in the prednisone forum here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80 You may find more people with knowledge about your specific situation on those parts of the forum.