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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Pericarditis and prednisone
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Pericarditis and prednisone
by Karen__0__0, Dec 18, 1998 12:00AM
I am a white female age 57 in general good health except I have GERD and Pericarditis.
I was diagnosed with ideopathic pericarditis about five years ago.I was tested for everything
and nothing else was present then and nothing new has appeared since. I am
under regular medical supervison. I am trying to get off prednisone. This seems to be more of an art than a science.I take three mg per day but felt better at 3.5 mg per day.
I understand I am not producing my own steroids. I also understand the body produces
about 5-8mg per day naturally. But this production stops when on prednisone.
Am I producing any natural steroids while I am on 3 mg per day of Prednisone?
If not then I have to get off of Prednisone or increase the amount until I
fell well. I taper very very slowly and return to the previous level if a feel a
fair up coming. I seem to have hit a wall.
I read about Alternate Day Therapy as a way of getting off prednisone and starting the
adrenal gland at the same time.
Do you have any knowledge or experience with this aproach?
Can you suggest another way to remove Prednisone from my life?
Is my Adrenal gland working now?
Thank you for your help, I await you answer.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF CARDIO MD APS, Dec 18, 1998 12:00AM
_
Dear Karen,
No, I am sorry but this prednisone tapering/adrenal function you speak of is a case for an endocrinologist(internist who specializes in hormonal/glandular disesase.) You have a very good handle on your situation and your questions are good ones, ask your primary physician for a referral to an endocrinologist at a major medical center, if not one that at least has experience with adrenal gland-steroid measurements and prednisone tapering.
I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for
general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies.
Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please
call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at
www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the
cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your
cardiac problem.
