goldicedance Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Has anyone out here tried Prednisone or another form of Cortizone for POTS flare-ups? Would be greatly intereseted to know asap. My doctor is very interested in this possibility since one time I was taking Prednisone for severe neck paid and my POTS systems got much better! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 The only time I took prednisone was for an allergic reaction to antibiotics and I think I only took 1 dose of 40 mg and that was when I experienced my first episode of autonomic instability with tachycardia for almost 6 weeks. My system was obviously very sensitive to it. If it works for you though great! My sister has MS and has to take large large tapers of prednisone at times and she has sweating and some anxiety from it but for the most part she tolerates it because it helps her symptoms so much. If it helps I say go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marg Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Goldicedance -Many POTS patients are prescribed Florinef (Fludrocortisone) which is actually a type of Cortisone. It is used to help the kidneys hold sodium to prevent dehydration.If your doctor prescribes it and it has helped you in the past, GO FOR IT!Good Luck,Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 (edited) I am on cortisone every day for Addison's Disease. I got POTS after Addison's and it was the florinef that made me feel better. I was even on florinef for Addison's but I was taken off of it because it gave me hypokalemia. I was put back on it when I developed POTS and the hypokalemia never returned. Edited March 26, 2004 by Timbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 I've been on cortisone and predinsone at various times for asthma...didn't seem to do too much for my POTS though. I had taken florinef for a long time and that REALLY helped me the most.Women, in particular, need to be VERY careful with long term use of steroid therapies--it puts you in a higher risk group for loss of bone density (osteoporosis). I'm only 39 and already have osteopenia, the precursor to osteporosis. My docs want me on Fosamax now. I've also increased my calcium supplementation and eat more dairy on a daily basis. The fat free yogurt smoothies are my current favorite.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louby Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Hi Mighty,out of interest what is considered a significant amount of time for taking steriods?ThanksLouby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 My dad took prednisone for seven years as an anti-rejection treatment for a kidney transplant. Although it was credited with preventing organ rejection, it made him very moody, required him to go on Fosomax (to prevent osteoporosis), and damaged his vessels and tissue to some extent. His doc told him the drug, over time, does these kinds of things. However, if you need it to function, then so be it. And you can never stop the drug suddenly -- you must be weaned off very gradually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 I have taken prednisone for asthma since I have had POTS too. At around 40mg and I never noticed it helping me for POTS. Hopefully it might just work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Hi. Not a doctor, so I'm not sure what the length of time would be. I can tell you though, that I've only been on oral steriods about 10 or 15 times, 10 days each. Also, I've had IV steriods in large doses to prevent anaphalaxis to medications needed during surgery--so that would be another 5 doses that lasted at least a few days. That was enough to cause bone density loss for me, as well as changes in my skin--became very fragile, easy to injure and took longer to heal.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Would steroids cause tachycardia? I was given steroids in my IV during my neck surgery, and then two more IV bags after my surgery. I woke up after my surgery with a pulse of 133 and it eventually went dwon to 110-115 about 8 hours later. It stayed that way until the day after the surgery.Also, they had to give me insulin, as my sugar levels were high. They told me this was because of the steroids. I don't even remember recovery all. I just remember being wheeled into the ICU and told I have tachycarida. I felt whipped. To me it was a nightmare---that is why i'm afraid to have another surgery. Dr. Heffez is leaning towards doing a decompression to releive the pressure off my brain stem.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Yes, I required insulin too. Not sure about the tachycardia. It's possible if you were post-operative, you were tachy simply from the stresses on your body.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Thank's Nina,One of the resident docs did say steroids would agitate things and could cause tachycardia. It sure was a nasty feeling though.Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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