Originally Posted by AnnieB3

Sandy, Ditto on how Pred can be on the body.

Doctors often don't "think" about that fact. For example, is the plan a short-term or long-term one? It is easier to taper from Pred if it's done on a short-term basis and is on a fairly quick taper. Many doctors do the every other day Pred dosing to make sure adrenals don't completely tank.

Also, in a situation like yours where you were in the hospital, they often start with a "loading dose" of IV Solu-Medrol first and then go to tablets.

Since Pred is so hard to get off of, it's important to decide if it's a short-term fix or a long-term plan. And they often go right to Pred after Mestinon for two reasons. One, it's part of the "alogrithm" for treating MG. Two, it's cheaper than the other drugs like Imuran or IVIG.

I've known very many people who had to be on Pred. The side effects can be horrid. Instead of only MG, they now have Pred-induced diabetes, bone fractures (pins in hands), infections that don't heal and so many other lovely side effects. Many people have a tendency to think that, "Oh, that won't happen to me." The fact is that Pred is a very tough drug. It can also cause cancer, so if you have cancer in your family, that is a very real concern.

There are books out there on living well with Pred. Again, you might crave sodium, due to how it affects the adrenals. But if you have added salt, you might puff up and get high blood pressure.

No, you don't want MG tanking either. But you have to be aware of all of the possibilities because it's YOUR body and not even a doctor has the right to determine how a drug will affect it.

Good luck with your choices. They aren't always easy ones to make.

Annie