I am going to have surgery in a few weeks and I heard that if you take prednisone longer than a year you might have to take an extra amount while in surgery. I cannot tolerate high levels of it, and I am scared that they are going to make me have extra the day of surgery. I am really scared because it makes my heart palpitate and causes me to be short of breath at high doses.

Anyone know anything about this sort of thing ? I appreciate any advice. I will ask my dr too, but I am just trying to prepare myself.

Hi ValsMum, I'm so sorry to hear that you are facing surgery... Prednisone does the same thing to me, I think it raises some people's blood pressure...I would let the surgery nurse know about it, for sure. My Mom was on very high doses of prednisone for many years, for the treatment of Lupus(SLE) and she had several surgeries and I don't recall hearing anything about her dose increasing during a surgery...but I would ask to be sure, I'm sure your doctor's office is closed for the weekend but maybe you could call a pharmacist and ask, they know a LOT...good luck with your surgery, please keep us posted...big hugs & much love,

Michelle

Can't help here ValsMum - pred does frightful things to me, can't use it... But good luck with the surgery. Pray all goes well for you

As I understand it, the reason for that would be if the long term use has affected your adrenals badly, then the physical stress of the surgery could cause you to go into an adrenal crisis if you didn't get the extra steroids of one sort or another to cover it.

Best thing would be to insist on an endocrinology consultation before you have to have the surgery. They could advise whether this is an issue needing extra care or treatment. If your adrenals do need a boost, then its probably not going to be prednisone or prednisolone anyway - there are other forms of steroids.

HI

I know when I had my muscle BX ,this gave my a bolus of steroid before and after the surgery. My rheumatologist came in and saw the steroisd hanging and said I didn't need to have it, but the of doctor insisted I dead. I would def have a consult about this one . When did you stop the steroids ?

Janet

Thanks guys

Janet, I am on 6-7 mg trying to wean off of them, slowly. I HATE the way I feel when I take anymore than 15 or 20 mg. I feel anxious, and I'm not the anxiuos type. I've always been commended by family and friends on how calm I am, in fact. But this medication messes with my adrenal glands or something & makes me feel awful, jittery is not the word I have for it.

I hear the extra amount is like what CEMC wrote about so you don't go into adrenal crisis. I know arthrics have surgery all the time and I know that there are some steroids that are only in your body for the day. It was a cortisone shot that I had 2 bad reactions to, and I always get the reaction a few days after the cortisone shot. My heart races and I feel anxious, the relief is not worth it anymore. Hopefully it can be avoided during my hysterectomy, I'll have to ask about it for sure.

Hi

You will need some kind of steroid for sure, it will be the fast acting kind. I had to stop having pulses of Solumedrol at 1000mg IV for 3 days in a row, because I would get so darn depressed with it, so I know what you mean, and can understand your concern.

Janet

Ditto to what Cemc said.