Prednisone for sore throat and CFS

[Hopeforcure]

I have had a terrible sore throat (red, inflamed, dry) for close to a month. ENT has prescribed 5 days Prednisone (60mg, then 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10mg.), but he did not seem too familiar with CFS. My question is if anyone has had a similar sore throat experience and if you have had steroids with CFS? I have read that steroids with CFS can be problematic for your adrenal system. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. It seems like if steroids are supposed to settle down your immune system, that you will not be fighting whatever is causing the sore throat as well. But I would hate to not take something that would resolve this dang sore throat if there is not much in the way of side effects. I wonder also if there is a problem with this dose of prednisone causing irreversable damage.

Thank you!

 

[SOC]

I have had a terrible sore throat (red, inflamed, dry) for close to a month. ENT has prescribed 5 days Prednisone (60mg, then 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10mg.), but he did not seem too familiar with CFS. My question is if anyone has had a similar sore throat experience and if you have had steroids with CFS? I have read that steroids with CFS can be problematic for your adrenal system. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. It seems like if steroids are supposed to settle down your immune system, that you will not be fighting whatever is causing the sore throat as well. But I would hate to not take something that would resolve this dang sore throat if there is not much in the way of side effects. I wonder also if there is a problem with this dose of prednisone causing irreversable damage.

Thank you!

That dosing is designed not to be a problem for the adrenals. I've had that dosing several times and actually felt much better for a little while afterwards. Unfortunately, PWME are sensitive to many meds, so there's always a risk. If you've not been particularly sensitive to meds, it's probably worth trying. If you've been sensitive to lots of other meds, you've got a tougher decision.

 

[Ecoclimber]

Prednisone is what Eye, Nose, Throat specialists use in such cases and is very effective. If you go to a GP, they will swab your throat for strep and generally put you on one kind of antibiotics after another which do not work in this situation. After 2 months, you finally realize you need to see a specialists who puts on prednisone treatment pack and the sore throat is eliminated. My take is that it is involved with the herpes virus or more probable EBV as it seem to be related to a glandular sore throat.

Eco

 

[Ocean]

Yes, I've had sore throat with CFS. Prednisone in the amount you're taking shouldn't cause long-term damage as far as I know. I think the concern doctors usually have with it is when it's taken for longer periods or taken often or at high doses. I'm not a medical professional but that's my understanding. I've taken that amount many times. You may get some side effects but I don't think they'll be long term. I tend to get hungry on it and have trouble sleeping with it.

 

[bedman]

I wouldnt take it. The dose isnt that low. It can activate the infection which causes your sore throat.

 

[hixxy]

Suppressing the immune system of someone who's immune system is already suppressed doesn't sound so good. I did prednisone in my early CFS days. Never again.

 

[SOC]

The dosing that Hopeforcure is being offered gives a very brief suppression of the immune system and actually helps to reset it if it's over-reacting (or so I was told by my doc). The first day dosage is not high and it decreases rapidly. I've had the dosage a number of times and every time all my ME/CFS symptoms improved for a couple of weeks. And I have documented ebv and hhv-6.

I would have to give a lot more thought before I took a longer-term dosage or a constant dosage or a higher dosage. And I would think twice if I typically reacted badly to meds in general.

 

[Ocean]

In the past predinisone has actually helped my CFS symptoms, but others are right, you have to calculate the risk. I hadn't thought about that for some with CFS maybe it has made them worse rather than better like it did with me.

 

[WillBeatCFS]

The immediate taper you're given is not a problems, as others have said.

On the other hand, DO NOT EVER consent to a "standard" 10-14 day course. I did that for an asthma attack and it hooked into my CFS. It took me three years (yes, years) to get off the crap since no one (including CFS specialists Lapp and Natelson) figured out why I got so sick every time a tiny doseage cut was tried. I finally got a doctor who "got it" and treated the CFS with the prednisone taper and I slowly weaned off. In those three years I was repeatedly accused, villified, bullied, and refused treatment by doctors because of the prednisone. I'm hoping I can "move on" in my medical records, and that this doesn't continue to haunt me, but that remains to be seen.

Prednisone is a great drug for many things but be VERY careful is you ever must use it and get off it immediately. Personally, my top limit would be 5 or 6 days at the max. I'd discuss adrenal issues in CFS with the doc BEFORE agreeing to take it. And I'd get off the moment (and I do mean exact moment) I saw any interaction (+ or -) with CFS. Hope this helps.

 

[ukxmrv]

I'm usually good on Predisone to start off with. Increased energy and the swellng on my face and body goes down (as opposed to the "moon face" that other people report). Then there is an abrupt crash and a severe bout of the sore throat, glands etc that go with this disease in my case. I feel as if I've been hit by a bus and increasing the Pred dose makes me even worse.

Can stop it with no long term bad effects though in my case. Takes a few weeks to get back to "normal" again.

 

[ramakentesh]

its interesting the varied results. You think that if CFS was an autoimmune disease then it would help??

 

[Hopeforcure]

Thank you for all your kind responses. I have decided to give the prednisone a try since my sore throat was bad and seemed worsening after a month. Thus far after half a day I do feel different. My red face has turned more pale. My dry red sore throat is the same. My head and chest pain feel a little worse than normal. Pulse is faster. Breathing is shallower. Generally feel out of sorts.