Preds (What is the replacement)

[elephant]

I Thinks its the Wegs causing the hip pain, but also it could be being on long term prednisone. I too had Hip pain and it went away.

[Dumpy]

I have been on the Preds for a little over 4 years now mostly from 60 to 40mg for a lot of that time. I was off of them for about 2 months when I was in remission but that was all. When the Wegs flared it attacked my shoulder joints first and was a managable pain and then it attacked both of my knees and almost had me to where I couldn't walk then I went back on 60mg in Dec. last year. When I increased the Preds by taking the 5mg on my off days it started to help the pain that very same day.

[Dumpy]

Thanks for the advise Sangye. I was uncertain about having the CT (because of the radiation) but I knew that I probably didn't have another option but if this proves to be the Preds work I will know the next time.

[Dumpy]

I went and had my CT scan and then met with my Orthopedic Doc. He started with I have good and bad news. Well the good news was that it wasn't anything wrong with my hip joint and the bad news was that it was my Wegs that was causing the pain (are the getting off of the Preds). Along with my 15mg every other day I started taking 5mg on my off days and it really helped with the pain. The Orthopedic Doc told me to continue with the dose until I get to see my Pulmonologist. I just hope he has talked to my Wegs Specialist by then and they can decide which way we are going to go with the meds.

[Sangye]

Well it's hard to know which is the good news and which is the bad, isn't it? Dang it, Dumpy I'm so sorry. I hope they've caught this flare quickly enough that you won't have to do high dose pred or the harsher drugs.

[Dumpy]

Yea if I had my rathers I would rather not do the high doses of Preds. I spoke with my Doc today and the Wegs Specialist still has not called him back. I don't know what the problem is. He told me that if she hasn't called by the time of my next visit that he will talk to me about the RTX. That is what Dr Fessler had suggested when I saw her 2 years ago.

[Dumpy]

Went today for my first Rituxan infusion and so far so good with no reactions to the Rituxan. I will be having the 4 infusions and hope and pray that my BFF will go into remission. I'll keep and touch as I progress with the treatment. Maybe at the end of this I can get completely off of the Preds.

[Sangye]

I'm glad the rtx went well.