Medical Questions » Arthritis Questions » Question No. 91
| Question: | I have very severe rheumatoid arthritis which is controlled by taking Prednisone ail the time. I am told that it has side effects. Are these serious? |
| Answer: | Prednisone is an invaluable drug for controlling a vast range of diseases from asthma and psoriasis to rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors usually try to use it for short periods of time, or on alternate days, but if used long term it may have significant side effects, and it may be a matter of what is worse, the disease or the treatment. The main problems are bruising easily, poor healing, increased susceptibility to infection, weakening of bones, stomach ulcers, muscle pains and a host of other more minor problems.
Doctors do not use this drug lightly, and provided you are on the absolute minimum dose needed to control your arthritis, and your doctor is monitoring your condition regularly, you shouldn' t get into too much trouble. Any patient using prednisone who experiences unusual symptoms should report them to a doctor immediately. |
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