Not so hot.  No sleep last night between Stella and prednisone induced insomnia. Still a bunch of pain. Decided to talk to my doc, she's the best and knows me so well and if I talk to her before going to hospital, she will keep a watchful eye on the hospitalist doctors so they don't harm me again.  I know she will send me so I am packing a hospital bag (Thanks for the ideas on that bag everyone). Trying to be prepared, getting rent paid and all those pesky details so I don't need to worry about them.  Maybe preparation will help to calm my thoughts a bit!!

Hey Barbara , sorry to hear you are not feeling well , the prednisone can be a wonder drug but it is also the devils brew , I know how it can cause lots of problems but it really can make a huge difference when you are feeling bad , hope that if you do have to go into hospital that it wont be for too long , prayers and positive thoughts heading your way .

Being prepared is the best way to go.  Now you have started a process that we all should have for ourselves.  Either I take it with me in the ambulance-or Someone else can bring it-Got it all packed and no one has to search trying to find what you need and want.. Need=1st. pouches/etc.  2nd. what u want.. You will do well Barb.. Try to calm down... The yellow  rose is starting to open up-- :-)

Barabra, DID you talk TO the Dr. today? Or GOING To talk wit her.

IF so, what did she say??? (I don't think that she has a yellow rose) :-) 

But some postivie advise......

Go yellow rose!!  The doc says "hi thee to the ER pronto. On my way out the door. Will let you know what happens.

Go yellow rose!!  The doc says "hi thee to the ER pronto. On my way out the door. Will let you know what happens.

If anyone have ben following this from yesterday- Barabra is not up to par... The yellow rose is:

My husband gave me 2 dozen yellow long stem roses-One was a bud- I put that into a tall vase for Barb. and told her of this, to make her happy and feel that I/We care..  and we are having a bit of fun with it..  also---------------- Marcie..........

I am sure that wee will be hearing from you very soon.. Be calm-call your son.. ITs family time. 

Barbara sorry you are still not well . Hospitals are no fun we know that and by now you are hopefully getting checked out and taken care of . I was on the prednisone for a few years it is like Tony says the devils brew it really messed me up . Hope you get off of it soon . Let us know how you are doing when your able . Good thoughts your way . Stay positive and think about the yellow Rose Marcie has for you .

Robert, what is prednisone?- what is it used for?  I see that it not a good drug for long use-but never had taken it.. I wont either!! Not from what I have seen lately-- Confusions? OR what ?inform me.......... THanks. 

Hi Marcie . Prednisone is bad stuff .  I was on it for 4 years to fight my UC before I started my Remicade infusions and they were helping .  But then infusion deductible got to be unaffordable so then he put me on Imuran which also isn't good for ya  . They both are very hard on the immune system and the Prednisone made me gain a lot of weight .  If your doc ever tries to put you on it ask for an alternative if at all possible .

OH YA!!! I will not take that drug!!  Why did u go on it?  Pain?  

No not pain Doc put me on it to because of the UC

Prednisone is a steroid that is used for a lot of different conditions. ( Not for  pain, as Robert has already mentioned).  It is only ( I think in our cases of IBD ) used to control the symptoms of our illness... it does not treat it. It is used as kind of a bridge until something else ( like Remicaide ) kicks in ( or doesn't ... and they go on the next next worse..in terms of side effects....drug). Or nothing works and you get surgery.

It does have all kinds of side effect and one must ALWAYS taper off it, not stop cold turkey.

I used it for about a year and a half until my colectomy. (I tapered off of it in the month right before the surgery).

All it did for me was give me from 4 to 8 hours a day without diarrhea. I used that time mostly to sleep of see doctors.

No side effects, as far as I could tell. But they can be bad.

to reduce the UC? 

Steroid-Upper GI and the   Doctors last Christmas in the hospital that they may want to put me on a steroid if the diarrhea after my ilesotomcy as I have such a high out put- and have to have infusions 3x/wk-for fluids. =12 ponds. cant keep salt within my body-- even with salt pills-but I said no-- hoping that I can get better and see what happens.  From what I see, I am better off going to infusions..!!!!!!!!!!  sounds like a hard drug--If any drug I start slow then work up-.. Sounds like a temp. fix. THANKS YOU!!  

          wonder how Barabra is doing???  

Hi Marcie,

It is to help reduce the swelling that is involved in UC.  With UC , and other IBD's, Your colin is ulcerated, bleeding and swollen. The steroids, I believe, are to try to reduce the inflammation. I think they use prednisone in conjunction ( at the same time) as other drugs which are mostly immune suppressants ( since this is an auto immune disease). Your body is attacking it's own bowels. Nice!

Of the auto immune diseases, at least this one is fairly treatable ( although we get do our stomas). For some conditions even after a colectomy immune suppressants are still given.

There are many many kinds of auto immune diseases. So these same drugs are used to treat lots of different ones. ( and Prednisone is used to control the symptoms of them).

Anyone with better or more correct info PLESE chime in. Or if you can just say it clearer.

I too hope Barbara is doing well and we will all look forward to hearing from her soon.

Dona I'm glad you got in to help explain . I'm not a very good explainer . 

You should be a ostomate NURSE !!!!!!!! I didn't know that I was sick-just passed out fro pain-comma-death-bleeding internally-3 stangulations of colon and UC. then operation and then I saw my pouch..6 months of that crap- so- there was no drugs before hand or after-So I do feel for u all tha thad to go through years of UC and other aliments.  Now I just do infusions of fluids .. for the  past 3 years and still going-- 3x/wk.  lost 55 pounds and cant gain any weight.. THANS FOR THE info!! we r family---

Yes, about Barbara, As we haven't heard from her- I am sure that they have calmed down which she needs mostly-and hopefully they are not rushing her into tests real fast etc. she is scared and I feel for her-- That doesn't help her situation. She has been through so much and we all deal differently-- Almost like me in the early onsets--almost-I was waiting for the other shoe to drop--sure didn't help my matters any-but I got hold of myself and my Dr. and got on some meds and now I am Marcie like 4 years ago--Just missing a few parts.. I had a hard time and shock that would not go away--  Best.M.