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What Medication Can Replace The Benefits Of Prednisone When I Have A High Degree Of Spinal Osteoporosis And Arthritis?
Question: I have a fairly high degree of spinal osteoporosis/arthritis & have used 5 mg of prednisone daily in conjunction with Etolac, Tramadol ER, & Percocet 5/325 x 2 per day. Have had several joints replaced; knee, hip & fusion of several levels of spine. My arthritis doctor won’t continue the Prednisone & just returned from 2 week vacation where I increase Predisone to 10mg during that time to function with friends. What could I take or increase to replace benefits of Prednisone. Etolac is 500 g x 2 & Tramsdol ER IS 200 mg at pm
Brief Answer:
steroids better to be avoided, you can use Tylenol, or Percocet
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
In fact, steroids can work fairly well to control the pain of osteoarthritis. However, it has many adverse effects, and osteoporosis is one of them. In light of osteoporosis, you best avoid steroids if there is no compelling indication.
To control the pain, I would advise you can use Tylenol 650mg up to 4 times, if it does not work you can also take Tramadol with it, with all this if you still have pain, you can use Percocet as needed.
Pain management sometimes may be pretty challenging, if you are facing trouble, and these drugs don't seem to work for you, it'll be better to walk into the 'Pain Clinic' who would give you the best suitable plan based on your case scenario.
I would also advise you to avoid prolonged use of ETODOLAC, that can cause stomach and kidney problems with prolonged use.
Yes if you have used steroids for a long time, I would advise not to stop it abruptly, rather tapper it off slowly.
Hopes this helps, I would be glad to answer any further question that you may have.
Regards.
Dr Rahman
steroids better to be avoided, you can use Tylenol, or Percocet
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
In fact, steroids can work fairly well to control the pain of osteoarthritis. However, it has many adverse effects, and osteoporosis is one of them. In light of osteoporosis, you best avoid steroids if there is no compelling indication.
To control the pain, I would advise you can use Tylenol 650mg up to 4 times, if it does not work you can also take Tramadol with it, with all this if you still have pain, you can use Percocet as needed.
Pain management sometimes may be pretty challenging, if you are facing trouble, and these drugs don't seem to work for you, it'll be better to walk into the 'Pain Clinic' who would give you the best suitable plan based on your case scenario.
I would also advise you to avoid prolonged use of ETODOLAC, that can cause stomach and kidney problems with prolonged use.
Yes if you have used steroids for a long time, I would advise not to stop it abruptly, rather tapper it off slowly.
Hopes this helps, I would be glad to answer any further question that you may have.
Regards.
Dr Rahman
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you for your concise & helpful confirmation of priority meds to take & potential side effects. For whatever reason, no amount of pain med can help me get XXXXXXX & particating in life lime the Prednisone. Also living at high altitude has a significant effect on pain & mobility for me. Coming from low altitude vacations makes this factor clean & more difficult to return to. Any thoughts on my mobility restraints?
Brief Answer:
steroids may be used with caution,restriction of activities may not be good
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Some types of arthritis are predominantly inflammatory ( not like osteoarthritis which is predominantly degenerative ) and in inflammatory type of arthritis steroid are very effective and may be advised to use rather use of steroids become necessary there as the benefits then exceeds the risks. These include like Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, I am not sure as what specific type of arthritis if you have, ( is it confirmed Osteoarthritis ?) I mean to say that steroid may well be justified in the latter types of arthritis, but not in osteoarthritis .If the response to steroids is very high ,and little to other pain killers, then inflammatory types of arthritis should be ruled out. This may need some blood test like CRP, ESR, URIC ACID etc., that are generally very raised in inflammatory type o arthritis but not in osteoarthritis.
One important thing to say ,That if prednisolone is working extremely well for you(whatever is the cause ), then using it would be one idea .The side effects of Osteoporosis then can be managed with other drugs concomitantly used with it, these drugs are called bisphosphonates and are very effective in treatment and prophylaxis of osteoporosis , So it may be possible to use steroids in low dose for long time . However this should always be discussed with your doctor.
Yes ,Arthritis may be worse in cold and certain positions of joints ,however Regarding restriction of you mobility, i wont say that would be any good idea, though this depends for person to person and the disease it self, but restriction of activities until specifically told for is not a general rule , yes you can try
avoid certain position that can worse your pain .
Please feel free to ask anything more.
Good luck
steroids may be used with caution,restriction of activities may not be good
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Some types of arthritis are predominantly inflammatory ( not like osteoarthritis which is predominantly degenerative ) and in inflammatory type of arthritis steroid are very effective and may be advised to use rather use of steroids become necessary there as the benefits then exceeds the risks. These include like Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, I am not sure as what specific type of arthritis if you have, ( is it confirmed Osteoarthritis ?) I mean to say that steroid may well be justified in the latter types of arthritis, but not in osteoarthritis .If the response to steroids is very high ,and little to other pain killers, then inflammatory types of arthritis should be ruled out. This may need some blood test like CRP, ESR, URIC ACID etc., that are generally very raised in inflammatory type o arthritis but not in osteoarthritis.
One important thing to say ,That if prednisolone is working extremely well for you(whatever is the cause ), then using it would be one idea .The side effects of Osteoporosis then can be managed with other drugs concomitantly used with it, these drugs are called bisphosphonates and are very effective in treatment and prophylaxis of osteoporosis , So it may be possible to use steroids in low dose for long time . However this should always be discussed with your doctor.
Yes ,Arthritis may be worse in cold and certain positions of joints ,however Regarding restriction of you mobility, i wont say that would be any good idea, though this depends for person to person and the disease it self, but restriction of activities until specifically told for is not a general rule , yes you can try
avoid certain position that can worse your pain .
Please feel free to ask anything more.
Good luck
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
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