cortisol+prednisone

I am having surgery on thursday to clean out the sinus cavity...YUCK!!

anyways...my concern is that they are wanting me to take a pred pak afterward to help keep the swelling down. I told the dr about the elevated cortisol levels and my concern with taking prednisone, but he said it would be no problem. Now, this is a ENT doc so I am doubting he even knows about elevated cortisol.

Do any of you have any info you could pass along or websites that I could check into this? I have googled high cortisol+prednisone and came up with nothing, really.

Thanks!

[Paxiled]

I can only tell you my psychiatrist told me cortisone shots can sometimes cause anxiety, so presumably in some people it might increase cortisol.  I also assume in many people it doesn't.  Certainly the pain doc I saw who mentioned the cortisone never mentioned that side effect.  But you'll also, I would assume, be under the influence of some dandy pain meds, so I would think they would relax you pretty nicely and perhaps counter the cortisol rise that others not on such meds might experience.  That's about all I know.

[allmymarbles]

I took prednisone and then later inhaled steroids for COPD. I developed high cortisol, anxiety and panic attacks. I quit the steroids and was treated for the adrenal problem (still not entirely solved). However, if the prednisone they are giving you is only short-term your adrenals might not be affected.

[peggy64]

Thanks for your input. My cortisol is still so high, that I am afraid to even try a little bit of it. It seems there are many things that set off the anxiety and panic type feelings.

I am thinking of doing without and maybe trying arnica.Someone told me that helps with inflammation.

[allmymarbles]

If your cortisol is already high, prednisone can only make it worse. And that is scary. I am sure your doctor can come up with alternatives. Doctors tend to follow a recipe that they don't adjust for individual needs.

[Paxiled]

I'd discuss this with your surgeon.  Arnica is pretty weak for the kind of inflammation that follows surgery.  Don't know that corticosteroids are the only solution, but while arnica might indeed promote quicker healing, there are much stronger natural anti-inflammatories, but still none as strong as steroids.  There must be something else out there, but if you do go natural, proteolytic enzymes, turmeric standardized, boswellia, etc. are much stronger than just arnica for inflammation, but if he's worried about you being able, for example, to breath afterward so you can sleep that might be why you would need a strong antiinflammatory.  I'm ignorant on this obviously, but I'd investigate it before going it alone.  Good luck.

[allmymarbles]

I just remembered. After my husband had a bone spur removed from his shoulder, he took Yunnan Baio, a Chinese preparation. His doctor was surprised how quickly he healed, in spite of his age. He took it internally (although there is also a local preparation). It is much more effective than arnica.

[peggy64]

I KNOW IT WILL!!! That is what is scaring me. I know how horrible it is when your cortisol is so high and you have these adrenaline surges that are pure torture....

Thanks for the info on the Yunnan Baio. I will check into it. Times running out to get something "figgered" out.