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Good information to know about prednisone.

Posted by Mike @dadcue, Jun 28, 2024

Sometimes the information we receive about prednisone is overwhelming. I stumbled across the following that contains information about Prednisone that doesn't seem too overwhelming.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534809/

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

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Mike | @dadcue | Sep 20 10:39am
In reply to @pht1123 "Hi. I am a steroid dependent asthmatic for many years. Thankfully, I have weaned down from..." + (show)
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Hi. I am a steroid dependent asthmatic for many years. Thankfully, I have weaned down from high doses (severe asthma/hospitalization) to finally 7 mg per day. I was on 6 but needed the increase due to adrenal insufficiency. I saw the endo md and she told me that I can switch to Hydrocortisone at this low dose of Prednisone. My Pulm said I can try it. I'm nervous that my asthma may go out of control - and may wait until November (as Sept and October are worse months for my asthma). Has anyone switched from Pred to HC? What was your experience?
Thanks for your help.

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If you are a steroid dependent asthmatic then what is the advantage of taking hydrocortisone? I don't think hydrocortisone is a preferred maintenance treatment for asthma,

I understand your concern about adrenal insufficiency. I had the same concern after being on Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR. My endocrinolgist didn't think hydrocortisone was necessary to help me overcome adrenal insufficiency. What was more important was a non steroid treatment for PMR. Being on a biologic that didn't suppress my adrenal function made a huge difference. I was able to maintain a low dose of Prednisone. According to my endocrinologist, 3 mg or less of Prednisone was a low enough dose to allow some recovery of my adrenal function.

Are there any non steroid alternatives that might control your asthma? If you can control your asthma without so much Prednisone, that might help you to recover some adrenal function.

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