Prednisone
My husband takes 5mg of prednisone a day, the doctor keeps trying to cut it back. Every time he does he inflames and has a lot of pain. When he doesn't cut back he is fine. My question is, has anyone been on prednisone long term and was fine i.e. no side effects.
, hi! While long term prednisone usage can come with some potential side effects, each person needs to weigh the pros and cons for himself. The potential side effects may be worth the risk for your husband if it brings him consistent pain relief. I do hope you get some feedback from other community members that have used prednisone for extended periods. In the meantime, here is an article from one of our contributors that has used prednisone for years -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/prednisone-dosage-increase.
I hope this information is helpful for you and your husband!
Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.
Hi
. First, I want to note that each case is individualistic and different. The research on low-dose prednisone kind of mirrors this with some saying that, in the long-term it can be detrimental and other research finding it o.k., with some rheumatologists believing it is under-utilized. I can tell you that my wife, Kelly Mack (a contributor here), has been on 5mg of daily prednisone for years with no known major negative effects. Again, this is one person and others may have different experiences. As noted, each person, working with their medical team, needs to weigh the potential costs and benefits to make the best decision for them. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)
