Prednisone After 2 Weeks, Any Use?

[NimQ]

Hello all,

The details of my situation can be found in Dental Work Ruined My Progress thread, but I made this separate thread to discuss Prednisone and its "late use". In a nutshell: My T got worse April 22th after a long session of dental drilling. It triggered this new loud sound in my right ear that is so loud and ultra high pitch, it is almost impossible to mask. I thought it would be a temporary spike, even when my intuition told it's something more serious.

So, it's been almost 2 weeks after the acoustic trauma that made my T worse. I have the impression that Prednisone usually only works within 24-72 hours, is this correct? Would it be too late to try and get it now? Is it risky (i.e. do risks outweigh the chance of it working at this point)? Has anyone of you taken Prednisone >10 days after so that it helped?

Any comments, info, experiences are much appreciated and needed!

 

[Bill Bauer]

I took prednisone for 7 days beginning on day 10 or 12 after my acoustic trauma. It didn't have an immediate effect on me. Moreover, my ENT didn't give me a prescription for week 2 (he thought I was too on edge), and, stupidly, I didn't insist on finishing the two week course. I have had some improvement during my third month of suffering. Who knows what was the cause of that improvement...

 

[Rubenslash]

I would try, nothing to lose imo.

Sorry that you are suffering this much!

 

[Michael Leigh]

I would try, nothing to lose imo.

Prednisone can increase blood sugar levels and make a person become diabetic if they are not careful.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Prednisone can increase blood sugar levels and make a person become diabetic if they are not careful.

Is this the case for long term use, or even for a short 14-day course of prednisone?

 

[Wojtek Kalka]

I took it after a month, 19 days treatment at day 17 atm, not sure yet it helped, but I think it did, my tinnitus was between 4-6/10 spiked after a concert with earplugs to 7-8, all the time. Now hmm in general 6-7 so tiny improvement. first day of the treatment tinnitus vanished for a day, first time in 23 years but I had days with 11/10 hehe in the treatment where noise was all I heard, interesting that my years of experience keep me calm, and the hope it goes down.. still tough experience.. got a mild hyperacusis from it, am sensitive to sounds, running around with earplugs alot an headphones masking.. time will tell

Would I do it again.?. Yes this two days of a thunderstorm in my head made me appreciate my normal new tinnitus level.

Had 3-4 no sleep too, still life is awesome, doing 90% what I always do, even playing saxophone with earplugs sucks...

Trying to get better plugs in Thailand but hard.
Hugs
Wojtek I

 

[Michael Leigh]

Is this the case for long term use, or even for a short 14-day course of prednisone?

I think it would be for long term use. Better to get blood sugar levels checked. Some doctors won't prescribe it and I'd rather keep way from it to be honest as it's a steroid. However, I have heard it can help some people with early onset noise trauma that results in tinnitus.

 

[NimQ]

Prednisone can increase blood sugar levels and make a person become diabetic if they are not careful.

Really? One of my parents got genetic diabetes (type 1), so I am already in risk group. Been reading about Prednisone's risks and really not keen to take it if it doesn't help after 1-3 days. That's why I made this thread, to understand whether it can help at this point. There's also like risk of psychosis and weakened immune system etc.

 

[Rubenslash]

Really? One of my parents got genetic diabetes (type 1), so I am already in risk group. Been reading about Prednisone's risks and really not keen to take it if it doesn't help after 1-3 days. That's why I made this thread, to understand whether it can help at this point. There's also like risk of psychosis and weakened immune system etc.

Permanently weakened? If not, you could take cats claw as a supplement when taking prdnisone

 

[NimQ]

Permanently weakened? If not, you could take cats claw as a supplement when taking prdnisone

Hmm, I wish it worked like that. When something suppresses immune system, I think it just messes things up more if you have another thing boosting it... Cat claw says in possible interactions:

"Medications that suppress the immune system: In theory, because cat's claw may stimulate the immune system, it should not be used with medications that suppress the immune system." (source)

"Chemotherapy or immunosuppressants (eg, cyclosporine, prednisone) because the effectiveness may be decreased by cat's claw" (source)

 

[Rings-a-Bell]

Prednisone can increase blood sugar levels and make a person become diabetic if they are not careful.

I think this is only for as long as you are taking the drug. You would only need to take it for 3-5 days then taper down, so I don't think this would be a concern for you. It is more of a concern if you have to take the drug for months or years.

 

[Elinor]

Really? One of my parents got genetic diabetes (type 1), so I am already in risk group. Been reading about Prednisone's risks and really not keen to take it if it doesn't help after 1-3 days.

You are not in any risk group if your parent has type 1 diabetes. Prednisone can in some cases, after longterm use, cause diabetes type 2.

People use prednisone in high doses for all kinds of reasons, as it can improve many conditions. Diabetes is not a common side effect. It's not like everyone who takes prednisone is warned that there's a big chance that they'll get diabetes.

I'll also add that my grandmother has been using prednisone for about a year to treat her hemolytic anemia. She is tapering off it now, but she used high doses for months in the beginning. The reason I'm saying this is because my mother and aunt both have type 2 diabetes. Although my grandmother has many side effects from prednisone, diabetes is not one of them.

I have yet to hear about someone here who developed diabetes after taking prednisone for about a week.

It is however unclear if it will help at this point. I've seen many users state that it's useless after the first days, but who knows?

 

[NimQ]

@Elinor thanks for clearing it up! Makes sense.

Indeed, the question remains: has Prednisone helped anyone after 10 days or so?

 

[Bill Bauer]

@Elinor thanks for clearing it up! Makes sense.

Indeed, the question remains: has Prednisone helped anyone after 10 days or so?

It is possible that the people that it helped are not spending a lot of time on tinnitustalk...

 

[Michael Leigh]

It is possible that the people that it helped are not spending a lot of time on tinnitustalk...

I read a post a couple of weeks ago, from a person new to tinnitus, took prednisone and said it reduced the tinnitus significantly. This might be true, although tinnitus can reduce naturally without treatment, in the early stages and even go away completely.

 

[Mettafort]

I read something at Dana (on phone but will try find), where SSNHL was resolved with prednisone, 3 months after the loss. My ENT has said he has had some rather random progress cases. I hold on to that personally. The side effects aren't that bad for Prednisone, if it helps the hearing.

Mf

 

[NimQ]

Well, I now reserved an appointment for private ENT. I could only find one available for tomorrow with a description where tinnitus was mentioned as one of the things he treats. I have no idea whether I will even get Prednisone or if it's gonna cost over 100 euros for nothing. Meanwhile, feel free to keep posting experiences on "late" Prednisone here, since it might help someone else pondering about this as well.

 

[Mettafort]

I am going to see a professor at northwestern in Chicago tomorrow. My ent this afternoon, after noticing i am making minir changes positively on the audiogram tests, agree to see if the professor will agree to allow me to keep on prednisone, and the injections. I am pretty fit and am not having any negative observable affects, so my ent was totally open on my own desire and research. He also agreed, with people getting sudden hearing restored three months after an event using intratympanic steroid injections highlights its not absolute.

good luck.

Mf

 

[Wojtek Kalka]

Cortisone is quite a good drug, btw there is a difference between prednisolon and prednison google it .. while it is unsure if it helps, I rarely read that it makes the tinnitus worse permanent. Just use it under a doctor's supervision.

 

[NimQ]

Alright then, got 10 days of Prednisolone (starting with 60mg for two days, 40 mg for two days, 20 mg for two days etc.) Isn't that a bit of a long regimen, since I've usually read it lasting 5 days? Just wondering whether it is still considered a very short course, considering the safety and side effects mentioned here. The doctor didn't really know anything about Prednisone being used to treat noise-induced T, but was open to my suggestion after I explained the information I had gathered about it.

A bit nervous about starting it, since I do have major anxiety issues and it could make that worse. I wish I could start tonight (as it is more likely to work the sooner it's started), but I was told it should always be taken in the morning. So I guess I'll start it tomorrow.

 

[Eric N]

Alright then, got 10 days of Prednisolone (starting with 60mg for two days, 40 mg for two days, 20 mg for two days etc.) Isn't that a bit of a long regimen, since I've usually read it lasting 5 days? Just wondering whether it is still considered a very short course, considering the safety and side effects mentioned here. The doctor didn't really know anything about Prednisone being used to treat noise-induced T, but was open to my suggestion after I explained the information I had gathered about it.

A bit nervous about starting it, since I do have major anxiety issues and it could make that worse. I wish I could start tonight (as it is more likely to work the sooner it's started), but I was told it should always be taken in the morning. So I guess I'll start it tomorrow.

Hi

Did it work at all for you? Last year I took 30mg /day for around 3 days - I could not handled the insomnia -and then 10mg/day for around another 4 days this was 6 days after Spike from shouting I can't say it helped much if at all.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Alright then, got 10 days of Prednisolone (starting with 60mg for two days, 40 mg for two days, 20 mg for two days etc.) Isn't that a bit of a long regimen, since I've usually read it lasting 5 days? Just wondering whether it is still considered a very short course, considering the safety and side effects mentioned here. The doctor didn't really know anything about Prednisone being used to treat noise-induced T, but was open to my suggestion after I explained the information I had gathered about it.

A bit nervous about starting it, since I do have major anxiety issues and it could make that worse. I wish I could start tonight (as it is more likely to work the sooner it's started), but I was told it should always be taken in the morning. So I guess I'll start it tomorrow.

Sorry, I didn't see your post earlier. It is actually not a lot of prednisone. I took 50 mg for 6 days...

 

[PaulBe]

I don't know if there's any consensus on dosing and duration of Prednisolone (or other steroid preparations) for tinnitus, but my suspicion is that for the most part the dose is usually too low and the duration too short as a rule because, yet again, its woefully under-researched. I've now seen a few reports here of a temporary, but not sustained improvement with minimal dosing over just one-two weeks.

 

[NimQ]

Hi

Did it work at all for you? Last year I took 30mg /day for around 3 days - I could not handled the insomnia -and then 10mg/day for around another 4 days this was 6 days after Spike from shouting I can't say it helped much if at all.

Yes, I think Prednisone did work for the new sound which came from excessive dental drilling. It had caused me this echoing very high pitch drill sound in my head, very loud and could be heard on top of everything. There was a clear cause: acoustic trauma, but perhaps also nerve trauma from too much work (multiple dental fillings) done in one visit and continuous drilling. Maybe too much of a strain to the jaw joint as well, who knows...

Anyway, the new sound was incredibly disturbing and filled my whole head. On 6th day of my Pred course, it went away. It came back in a milder form a few times, but I don't have it anymore.

Of course there is no certain way to tell whether it was time or Pred taking care of it, or if my nerves/jaw were inflamed by the operation. Here is my thread with more info about what happened: Dental work ruined my progress

 

[Bill Bauer]

It felt good to read about you getting better.