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Good information to know about prednisone.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 1 8:15am | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
I read somewhere that when you have adrenal insufficiency and low cortisol levels that you might be able to receive hydrocortisone injections to help boost the cortisol. This is a discussion I will have with my endocrinologist. I have been prednisone free for almost 2 weeks now managing any pain that I have with anti-inflammatory diet, physical therapy exercises and ibuprofen. It feels really good to be off of the prednisone. I am going to have my cortisol level. Tested in about two weeks.
Replies to "I read somewhere that when you have adrenal insufficiency and low cortisol levels that you might..."
Keep up the good work. Assuming PMR symptoms are controlled, taking the lowest possible dose of prednisone is a good way to get your adrenals working again. Being on no prednisone is the best thing by far as long as the pain is tolerable or the pain can be controlled with something else.
Hydrocortisone is given instead of Prednisone because it is preferred by endocrinologists when adrenal insufficiency is diagnosed. It is still a good idea to see an endocrinologist if you have been on Prednisone for a long time and can't taper off or have recently tapered off Prednisone.
Hydrocortisone won't help boost your cortisol level. Hydrocortisone is another synthetic form of cortisol just like Prednisone.
I understand the confusion. Hydrocortisone is the treatment for adrenal insufficiency because some endocrinologists think hydrocortisone doesn't suppress the adrenals as much as Prednisone does. My endocrinologist said there wasn't any clear difference between hydrocortisone and prednisone. Both medications are synthetic corticosteroids and both suppress the production of cortisol from the adrenals.
https://www.medicinenet.com/prednisone_vs_hydrocortisone/drug-vs.htm#what_are_prednisone_and_hydrocortisone
I think you have a handle on it for what thats worth. You got this. Your body may have a hard time restarting fully. I have read it can take years to fully restart. Even then when you require a little extra boost due to an infection or stress your body may not be able to produce it. The hydrocortisone can give you a lower level of boost to prevent a relapse.
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My opinion. Hydrocortisone is the drug of choice for those that suffer from Addison's disease. Long term steroid use can also cause AI because your body is not able to fully restart on its own. But hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid. It just has less punch for long term use. Hydrocortisone, prednisone , methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, are all corticosteroids. So your only trading for the little sister to prednisone. You will still experience all the side effects that prednisone offers. Sounds like your doing good.