I have severe SFN in my feet/legs, hands/arms......I've used prednisone about 2 times a year for the last 3 years and it's helps me a lot. I use it for the week of vacation in June and then around Christmas time. Seems to help a lot of people with different dx's.

I hope it helps you.

Debi from Georgia

Debi,

I too have severe SFN. I have tried all the typical pain meds there are and they have been no help at all. I am not taking anything for pain right now. Just spending a lot of time in bed. Since I have tried everything except prednisone and was thinking of asking my doctor to try try it. But after reading all the problems prednisone can cause, I really have second thoughts about trying this.

You said that you have taken it twice a year and it helps. It seems that you are saying that this is just a temporary fix to get through a week. Do you mean that the rest of the year you just suck it up a suffer? This isn't a long term fix?? To me being pain free for 2 weeks a year isn't worth even trying. Or do I misunderstand you?

Anyone else with SFN use predinisone long term? Are the side effects really as bad as I read?

Sorry....my brain isn't working correctly these days

I'm on BuTrans pain patch, 20 mcg/hr that I replace with a new patch every 7 days. I am also oxycodone 10-325 - 3 a day as needed for pain.

Prednisone is not a drug I would want to be on full time. Too many side effects that are pretty serious in themselves. It's my understanding if you can stay under 10 mgs a day it's not as damaging. I only know that from working with a lady that had lupus and she was on 10 mg maintenance dosage.....said she had to take higher doses when she flared. And yes...as far as I know it is as bad as you've read about.

I was in bed or on the couch prior to going to a pain mgmt. dr and being placed on BuTrans and oxycodone....before that I was only on hydrocodone and that just wasn't enough for pain relief.

I was unable to drive but can drive short distances now. I could not shop at the grocery store....I still don't go to a big store but can manage a small grocery store or a small dollar store. I could not walk far or stand for any length of time. I still have to be careful with both of those but it is better.

I still cannot overdo and if I do I'm in the bed for days trying to recover. Weather, especially this damp, misty weather, really increases my pain.

Hope this info helps you and let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

Debi from Georgia