How I deal with Prednisone

Hi Everyone.... I have DLBCL, 2nd stage, and had  my first R-CHOP cocktail 4 days ago.  I've been on 100 mg of Prednisone 5 days before & 5 days after, then I go to 50mg till the next treatment.  I don't think I'm a highly sensitive person to drugs, so that's of help to me, but those dosages can really rev you up.  I hold my head up high, walk with intent, smile, & use it (the rev) to my advantage.

Mentally, I think of it as a killer in there fighting for me, so I don't hate it so much.  I also know it is short term & that this will pass.  

But most importantly, I get up at 5am & take it with a banana, crackers, or whatever, then go right back to sleep.  By 10 or 11 at night, it's pretty much worn off - I take 2 Benadryl, 10 mg of Melatonin about an hour before I'm ready to go to bed, and I'm able to go to sleep - and believe me - I've never been a great sleeper, especially without my wonderful wine which I've had to curtail.

Hope this works for some of you too!  Hang in there!

Starr

 

Comments

  • Rocquie
    Rocquie Member Posts: 869 Member
    Hi Starr

    I AM highly sensitive to drugs, which is why the doctors took one of the drugs out of my R-CHOP cocktail and reduced the remaining ones to 80%. I tolerated the new blend much better.  I didn't loathe the prednisone like most people around here do. Here is what I did: I took it each morning with .5 mg of Ativan.  I took 100 mg of prednisone for 5 days with each chemo and combined with the ativan, it worked out just fine for me. The prednisone gave me energy and a good appetite and kept the ativan from making me drowsy. The ativan kept the "edge" off the prednisone. In fact, I joked about being on performance enhancing drugs and missed it on day 6 when I crashed.

    I'm not sure where everyone is, but don't worry, people will be around to welcome you. Not to mention that prednisone is a hot topic here.

    Cheers,

    Rocquie

     

  • rescue911chick
    rescue911chick Member Posts: 55
    Great advice

    I'm still in a long, drawn-out diagnosing (wait and watch) process, but I'm definitely going to keep this advice with my "medical journal" I've been keeping so I can refer back to it if I need it down the road. Thank you for sharing!!

    Sherry

  • NANCYL1
    NANCYL1 Member Posts: 289

    Great advice

    I'm still in a long, drawn-out diagnosing (wait and watch) process, but I'm definitely going to keep this advice with my "medical journal" I've been keeping so I can refer back to it if I need it down the road. Thank you for sharing!!

    Sherry

    PREDNISONE

     

    I get hopped up from the steroid they give me.  It is probably Prednisone.  I counteract it with Atavin or the generic, Lorazepam.  It helps

    Nancy