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Experience with pred course for sciatica?

  • karenr
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  • Diagnosed in 2000, at 59, after being on moderately high doses of NSAIDs for arthritis. Splenectomy and rituxan both failed (2004). Did well on prednisone till summer 2018--then terrible reactions. Promacta since 11-19.
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15 years 2 months ago #6615 by karenr
Experience with pred course for sciatica? was created by karenr
Has anyone had experience with a course of prednisone for a condition other than ITP--while you have ITP?

I'm on 4 mg. pred daily right now to maintain my platelet count in the 20s and 30s.

I have developed painful sciatica, and my PCP has suggested that I might consider a "10-day course of prednisone"--60 mg for first few days, then 50, then 40, etc. My Hematologist is out of town, but his back-up said she thought it would be okay.

I tolerate prednisone well though the only time I've ever had 60 mg/day is before my splenectomy, and that was only for a day or two to get my counts up. When I drop low (single digits), I usually go to 30 mg/day for a couple of days, and that gets me back up to safe levels.

Any other advice for sciatica also welcome! So far, ice is best. (I can't tolerate codeine/codone sorts of things.)

Karen R
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15 years 2 months ago #6628 by eklein
Replied by eklein on topic Re: Experience with pred course for sciatica?
When I take pred everything hurts less, everything inflamed is less inflamed. When I go off pred it goes back to hurting, but maybe if you can ge the inflammation down it can heal a bit. I think there's a good chance you could get some relief from pred for sciatica if the issue is something inflamed pressing on the nerve.
Erica
And she was!
Diagnosed May 2005, lowest count 8K.
4/22/08: 43K (2nd Rituxan)
10/01/09: 246K, 1/8/10: 111K, 5/21/10: 233K
Latest count: 7/27/2015: 194K
15 years 2 months ago #6632 by
Replied by on topic Re: Experience with pred course for sciatica?
I've been on those short courses of prednisone for sinuses and recently for a virus that went to my inner ear.

Sciatica is not fun - it is very painful. We have a friend who has sciatica due to spinal stenosis - think he is down to one pain pill a day, also had PT and now does the exercises at home. He tried acupuncture but only went once or twice and said it wasn't helping so stopped. He is trying to avoid surgery.

www.mayoclinic.com/health/sciatica/DS00516

Have you had an MRI or a test to see why you have sciatica? I had an MRI.
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15 years 2 months ago #6634 by eklein
Replied by eklein on topic Re: Experience with pred course for sciatica?
I used to have terrible sciatica. At one point my leg went numb below the knee and then as it came back to life the pain was awful. Sciatica is one of those things that can have a lot of different causes and therefore treatments. My disks looked normal and ultimately I benefitted from changing some postural things (not sleeping on my stomach any more, never ever ever, holding myself straighter and my stomach in, etc.) and doing some of the recommended exercises and stretches. It took a long time but at this point it's been at least a decade since I've had any serious pain from it. So there is hope!
Erica
And she was!
Diagnosed May 2005, lowest count 8K.
4/22/08: 43K (2nd Rituxan)
10/01/09: 246K, 1/8/10: 111K, 5/21/10: 233K
Latest count: 7/27/2015: 194K
  • Angel85
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  • I am 27 years old from Australia and I have T.A.R Syndrome. My email address is not showing on my profile for some reason so it is blossom_242@hotmail.com for anyone who wants to send me an email.
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15 years 2 months ago #6646 by Angel85
Replied by Angel85 on topic Re: Experience with pred course for sciatica?
I sometimes take a short course of pred if my asthma flares up. I am currently on 12 and a half and a week or so ago, my GP bumped it up to 30 for a week while i was having issues with my asthma and then told me i could go back to my normal 12 and a half dose. I didn't seem to have any issues with bumping it up and down like that, but like i said in another post, everyone is different and can tolerate different things.

I haven't really heard of sciatica before, so i'm sorry i don't really have any suggestions for you.
  • karenr
  • Topic Author
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  • Diagnosed in 2000, at 59, after being on moderately high doses of NSAIDs for arthritis. Splenectomy and rituxan both failed (2004). Did well on prednisone till summer 2018--then terrible reactions. Promacta since 11-19.
More
15 years 2 months ago #6653 by karenr
Replied by karenr on topic Re:Experience with pred course for sciatica?
Thank you, everyone, for sharing experiences with sciatica and/or a course of prednisone. Erica, your comments on sciatica give me hope! Mine is apparently due to degenerative arthritis.

Angel and Melinda, when you finished the short course of prednisone, did you have to taper in any special way because of ITP?

Karen R
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15 years 2 months ago #6658 by Michelle
Replied by Michelle on topic Re:Experience with pred course for sciatica?
I had a severely herniated disc about 9 years ago and awful, AWFUL sciatica. The pain was HORRIBLE - I feel for you.

I also benefited from what was talked about in a prior post - focusing on posture and no more tummy sleeping. I could stand straight with no pain, just couldn't sit down. So I started walking a lot to build up my core muscles. Ultimately though, when I started getting better, I lost a bunch of weight in an effort to not have to go through that again.

I still have pain every once in awhile and it reminds me to sit up straight! But I've had both my children since that injury. It flared up during the first pregnancy but the second one was painless.

I didn't have ITP at the time - but they did put me on Prednisone for a bit. I didn't feel that it helped me much.
Good luck to you. :)
  • Angel85
  • Offline
  • I am 27 years old from Australia and I have T.A.R Syndrome. My email address is not showing on my profile for some reason so it is blossom_242@hotmail.com for anyone who wants to send me an email.
More
15 years 2 months ago #6660 by Angel85
Replied by Angel85 on topic Re:Experience with pred course for sciatica?
I didn't have to taper this time because i was already on 12 and a half and after being on the 30 for a week, the doctor said i could go straight back to 12 and a half and i had no problems with it.

If i am not taking pred at all and need just a short course for my asthma, they usually give me 30 for a week, then bump it down to to say 20 for another week, then bump it down to 15 for 3 or 4 days, then 5 and a half for 2 or 3 days and then usually stop after that.
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