Tag Archives: Prednisone

Prednisone Hell

5 Feb
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Can I really say anymore.

Dear Prednisone,
     Yes, I am aware that you have saved my life on multiple occasions, including that time over well 20 years ago that I don’t doubt that your heroism brought me back from the dark brink at only 70 pounds, during a very long time battle for a diagnosis with Crohn’s disease that had already gone on for years. I am currently on more of you than I have ever been in my entire life (after spending painstaking months of getting off of your evil concoction) and I have never been so aggravated and tired of this disease more ever… thanks Obama (sorry, Mr President, you did not deserve to be brought into my own International dilemma, I know that you currently have more than your full plate on your table, bless you)… I mean thanks prednisone. After 30 years, I just want to feel better. With tears in my eyes, I wish everyone could feel the often unbearable pain Crohn’s disease can usher into your life, just for one day. After this and yet another hospital stay, this is getting more than a bit frustrating. Please pray that I can get new drug approval on Friday when I see the rheumatologist. With all of my major issues and treatment failures this is the end of the road medically for me, until a new drug or treatment is found. Hope does spring eternal, so deep inside I know there is an answer out there. For all of us. I am sure much of my melancholy comes from the fact that it is just about exactly 28 years since I finally got my diagnosis of inflammatory inflammatory bowel disease. Dum, dum, prednisone, you may be part of my life now and maybe in the future, but not eternally! (Now must keep repeating that in my mind… along with the theme from Rocky. Kids, never ever forget the theme from Rocky. Google it and thank me later.)

So take that, prednisone!

Yours (not so truly),
Belle of the Bowel “Meghan”

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Bangs, not a good choice of hairstyle when you look like a cupie doll.

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A Birthday for my Bowels!

16 Jan
No 13 year old wants to find out they have a very serious, incurable, chronic illness, but I was so relived to finally be getting some answers and that I was not crazy.

No 13 year old wants to find out they have a very serious, incurable, chronic illness, but I was so relived to finally be getting some answers and that I was not crazy.

I don’t remember the exact date, but I finally got my diagnosis of Crohn’s disease 23 years ago this month. After years of childhood illness, countless pediatricians, 2 pediatric gastroenterologist, hospitalizations and even an emergency blood transfusion, we at last had an answer. My family and I were more than ready for a diagnosis, any diagnosis. Even though I knew virtually nothing about Crohn’s disease I was just happy that I wasn’t crazy, and I now had proof. I had the overwhelming urge to rub this information in the face of people, inside and outside of the medical field, who thought my condition was psychosomatic. IN YOUR FACE!  BOO YA! (Too much?)

Just a month after my diagnosis in 1990 I celebrated my 13th birthday. We were happy to have answers, but this was just the beginning of  my fight. I weighed 70 lbs. at the time of my diagnosis. I HATE Prednisone, but it saved my life in the the beginning. I actually doubled my weight in just a few months. I spent 6 YEARS, my ENTIRE teenage years on high dose Prednisone. Just what every teenage girl wants; a moon face, mood swings that make PMS look like a country picnic, acne, hump back, etc. I think I should have gotten an award for all of that. Seriously, where is my award? At 19, I finally successfully got myself off the Prednisone. I remember feeling so accomplished when I made my goal of being steroid free (another reason for that award). I did it so very slowly and it took me close to a year to get completely off of it. A few years ago Jerry Lewis went into drug rehab to get off of Prednisone. Some people thought that was odd, but not me; it’s hard stuff to come off.  What a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship we have with steroids!

I was not planning on writing that much about Prednisone. Same thing always happens at support group. Some meetings can end up being no more that a  flippin’ hate Prednisone rally. My mind went there organically today, so I guess you just have to go with it.

Blessings of health to all!

~BOTB

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