Prednisone

[angieskidney]

I've been taking prenidzone since I was 13 years old.  Without 7.5mg a day I cannot even walk.

To you and Angie - Your adrenal glands produce 7.5mg of steroids daily.  That is why you are on 7.5mg of prednisone daily as a replacement therapy.  Without it you would die.  People cannot live without adrenal glands.

Really??

What would happen first? Are the only adrenal glands on the kidneys? People have asked me this and told me there are more somewhere. I just never bothered to look it up because I didn't think it was a big deal. They had to remove the ones on my kidneys as they had gotten infected as well.

[Rerun]

I've been taking prenidzone since I was 13 years old.  Without 7.5mg a day I cannot even walk.

To you and Angie - Your adrenal glands produce 7.5mg of steroids daily.  That is why you are on 7.5mg of prednisone daily as a replacement therapy.  Without it you would die.  People cannot live without adrenal glands.

Really??

What would happen first? Are the only adrenal glands on the kidneys? People have asked me this and told me there are more somewhere. I just never bothered to look it up because I didn't think it was a big deal. They had to remove the ones on my kidneys as they had gotten infected as well.

I don't know Angie.  But, I just asked the doc who is providing me this test on my adrenal glands if people can live without adrenal glands and she said "no."  I believe it because I feel like I want to die without it for a few days.  My test is next friday and then it takes two weeks before I know anything.  In the mean time "yes" I'm going to stay on 2mg of Prednisone.  I have to stop it 3 days before and it may be rough.  But, stay tuned.

[Sluff]

Try to hang in there Rerun my prayers are with you as you try and get through this test.

[angieskidney]

Okay  

Good luck on the test Rerun! 

I know on my medical alert bracelet it says that I have Adrenal Insuffiency but I really know very little about it.

[Sluff]

Okay  

Good luck on the test Rerun! 

I know on my medical alert bracelet it says that I have Adrenal Insuffiency but I really know very little about it.

Adrenal insufficiency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In medicine, adrenal insufficiency (or "hypocortisolism") is the inability of the adrenal gland to produce adequate amounts of cortisol in response to stress. See also: Adrenal Fatigue or Hypoadrenia.

[angieskidney]

What? No Link? lol

Here we go http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenal_insufficiency

I was surprised there wasn't a lot of info in that page as there is in this one: http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/mngadrins.pdf

[Rerun]

I saw the GP today and my adrenal gland is fine.  There may be another underlying cause of my joint stiffness.  I'll just keep taking the 2mg of prednisone.  I don't really want to know what 'else' is wrong with me.

But get this.  She is just a GP.  I went there (my GP's office) she is a partner and I saw her because he was on vacation.   We talked for about 45 minutes and she had this student in there too.  They charged my insurance $306.  My insurance paid $235.  WTF!  I asked her about it today and she had no idea.  She didn't think it was too much.  I told her my heart specialist only charges $70 for an office visit.  She charges $400 an hour?  So I called the billing office and they said they pay the code and the code was for an office visit.  Well, so an office visit is $400 an hour?  Well, no it depends on the diagnosis etc.  Well, I went in there and told her what I wanted.  She didn't diagnose anything.  They told me they would look into it and for me to call them back in 2 weeks.  (hoping I would forget).  Next I'm gong to call my insurance office and tell them that I feel I was overcharged.

I know, I know...... dialysis if $40,000 a month and I concerned about $300.  But, damn it what is considered too much anymore?  A lawyer charges a lot, but at least they tell you up front what the charges are going to be.

I just hate it when they say "What do you care...insurance paid for it."  Well, SOMEONE should care. 

[Deanne]

I didn't read all of the postings (I'm at work), but I caught "joint pain" with "prednisone" and my ears (eyes?) perked up. I was on prednisone to treat FSGS, pre-ESRD. I was only on it for about 8 months total (starting at a dose of 60 mg/day). Joint pain was a big problem. While I was still on it, I couldn't walk in the morning until I had my daily dose and waited a half hour for it to kick in. After I was weaned from it, I was barely able to walk for several weeks because it hurt so much. It took a few months of being off it before my joints stopped hurting, and even now, about 5 years later, my knees aren't back to 100%.

[Rerun]

AAAHhhhhhhhhh I was right (I love it)

This Dr. called me back today to tell me that the baseline adrenal gland stress test had additional information that she just found.  My baseline was 8 but my test results after the injection were 11 and 14.5 respectively. I guess at a minimum it should have hit 18.  She indicated that this may cause a problem if I'm ever sick with the flu or pneumonia.  I need to tell doctors that I need "Stress Dose Steroids."

I'm not sure I understand the implications.  Should I stay on 2mg of prednisone or go up to 3?  Do I ever try to get off prednisone completely?  Do I have some underlying problem that we need to look into.

She said my pituitary gland and adrenal gland are working they are not dead. 

[angieskidney]

AAAHhhhhhhhhh I was right (I love it)

This Dr. called me back today to tell me that the baseline adrenal gland stress test had additional information that she just found.  My baseline was 8 but my test results after the injection were 11 and 14.5 respectively. I guess at a minimum it should have hit 18.  She indicated that this may cause a problem if I'm ever sick with the flu or pneumonia.  I need to tell doctors that I need "Stress Dose Steroids."

I'm not sure I understand the implications.  Should I stay on 2mg of prednisone or go up to 3?  Do I ever try to get off prednisone completely?  Do I have some underlying problem that we need to look into.

She said my pituitary gland and adrenal gland are working they are not dead. 

I am highly interested in what they tell you as I have no Adrenal Glands (as I mentioned before, they were removed with the kidneys). Did she tell you WHY that may cause a problem if you ever are sick with Pneumonia? I have had it 3 times already and am just 33. Does having Adrenal Insufficiency make it easier to get it or harder to get over it??

[Rerun]

I will let you know.  I'm going to search "Stress Dose Steroids" and see what I find.

[angieskidney]

I will let you know.  I'm going to search "Stress Dose Steroids" and see what I find.

Thx Rerun!