Prednisone before transplant?

[chris27rocker]

Hi, I'm new to posting on the forums, but I've been reading them for a while now.

I was diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency in 2008, and was told flat-out by endocrinologists, "you will be on Prednisone as long as you live". I've been on 30 mg Prednisone per day for almost 2 years. I haven't been able to come down on it because my fevers spike too high and my o2 sats drop too low. When I went to be evaluated for transplant, the doc said I had to be off of it, then said maybe under 10 mg a day was okay, then after deliberation, maybe 15 mg. She said it would inhibit wound healing - which I've already experienced on smaller scale.

My question is, was anyone on high-dose steroids BEFORE transplant? Or was adrenal insufficient?

 

[CrisDopher]

A lot of us are on 10 or as much as 20mg prednisone right up to the day of transplant. It does inhibit healing, but...you'll be on a massive dose of steroids the very day of transplant onward. 30mg is, comparatively, a drop in the bucket, though it might be worth trying to wean backwards a little bit. I think a more "real and present danger" is of devloping CFRD.

 

[azdesertrat]

No, I wasn't on Prednisone pre-trans.
In fact, once I asked my pulmonologist (pre-trans) why he didn't just put me on a steroid continuously. I had just finished a Medrol Dose-Pac at that time.
The pulmonologist told me he was keeping me off steroids as much as possible because he didn't want me to suffer the side effects.
Now, post-trans, I'm on 7.5mg of Prednisone twice a day. At that small dose, I don't really suffer from many of the side effects, other than feeling tired alot.
I realize that every situation is different & no two CF patients are the same.
I hope at some time you will be in such a condition as to allow your doctor to at least lower the dose.
Best of luck, 'Pat'.