- This topic has 4 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 days, 13 hours ago by .
-
Posts
-
-
Sharon
Hoping Doc can chime in on this. Hubby got a really bad rash all over his upper torso. He decided that the doctor knew best on this, and when the doc said it was a drug reaction (we had been taking a lot of pure powdered vitamins), and he prescribed prednisone. 60 mg for a week, 40 for a week, and 20 for the last week (which I split and gave him a couple of days of 10mg at the end instead of ending on 20 mg). About the last day or two of this horrible drug (at least to him), he got so weak and tired he could do nothing, couldn’t sleep, and had no appetite (at times throwing up even water). After several days of this, he added a terrible cough (again making him throw up a couple of times), and just racking his body with those awful coughing fits. Finally last Sunday (about 6-7 days into this), we went to the ER and spent about 3.5 hours getting all kinds of tests because of what they diagnosed as prednisone withdrawal, and wanted to rule out things like bleeding ulcer and such. They did emphasize that prednisone is a terrible drug and has a long laundry list of symptoms, including his mega crabbiness for almost 3 weeks. He has about 11 of the symptoms associated with prednisone now). I’m giving him all the “sick” tinctures (COF, EXP, cold away, shoo floo), plus mullein, immune support, pine needle, and gumweed (debating on cytokine balance, but I kind of think no on that). I am starting to feel like a total failure with herbs since I can’t seem to find anything to help the lack of appetite, massive fatigue, horrible racking cough, and sleep troubles. We don’t want any more pharma products if we can help it. This all has been going on since around the 18th or so (this month). I’m not sleeping well either with all his violent coughing. ANY HELP is welcome!!
-
Beth Trujillo
Good evening. I’ve been a pharmacist for almost 30 years. Prednisone withdrawal is really adrenal insufficiency. Prednisone is a corticosteroid like the type released from the adrenal glands, cortisol. When we give prednisone at certain doses or for certain durations, the body thinks it needs to cut down on its own production. When the prednisone is stopped, the adrenals aren’t making enough and it takes time for them to begin increasing their own production again. In severe cases, adrenal insufficiency is life-threatening.
Giving herbs to support the adrenal gland would be my instinct. Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and adaptogenic mushrooms like reishi can help with adrenal fatigue. It’s not a cytokine issue nor is it bacterial/flu virus, so I think you can stop all the other sick tinctures. Doc’s nutritive formula has chaga (adaptogenic mushroom).
Your husband should be kept from any type of stress while this is happening. Give nutrient dense, mineral rich foods like bone broth with unrefined salt (salt restriction elevates cortisol response, and salted bone broth will blunt the cortisol response), warm raw milk (living nutrient dense food) if you have access to it. Small frequent “meals”–fasting increases cortisol response. Also, nervine herbs like chamomile, etc.
I hope this helps. He is in my prayers.
Beth
Beth Trujillo
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Beth – thanks so much. We did know that his adrenals are in trouble. He’s currently taking dessicated adrenals, but I’ll drop the “sick remedies” and pick up on a few of the ones you mentioned! Also taking Doc’s Adrenal Support tincture. Thanks for the prayers also 🙂
-
Would love for you to keep us updated–it will help us learn. 🙂
Beth Trujillo
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Beth, sorry I didn’t mention earlier how much your pharma perspective means to me! So many people gloss over prenisone and it’s effects. We have been working on our “shot” adrenals now for about 3 months, and just when we were ready to retest and see where we are now, this happens. So I guess we’ll work on them another month or two at least before the retest. I did get confused on the “meals” (like he’s eating a whole meal these days!!). Actually to give it an easy to relate to amount – about the best he’s done since this started is 1/2 hamburger (just for reference). So should he have small meals or should he be fasting? The terms “increases cortisol response” and “elevates cortisol response” rather confused me. I think that either of those are what we want, yes? And since he’s had so much trouble with breathing and coughing, he has gone back to his Advair and rescue inhalers when needed (it’s been 2+ years since last used) – does this do further damage to the adrenals? I really and truly appreciate your help! Starting him on onion/honey concoction today for the coughing. You know what babies men can be when sick – “that’s nasty, I’m not taking that”!
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.