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Steroids

Hi
Just wondering if anyone else been on long term steroids in order to tolerate the side effects of Glivec? I’ve been on Glivec for nearly a year now and steroids for the same amount of time to counteract my Glivec rash. My daily dose of prednisolone has fluctuated between 20 mg and 2.5 mg per day – fortunately usually the lower dose – but it looks like I’m going to be on this for the foreseeable future. I’d just like some reassurance that this is a relatively normal state of affairs or some advice on what to do (if anything) if it isn’t. Many thanks. Sarah

i am not sure that long term steroid use is really desirable. if you still have the side effects that are so severe that you still need steroids after 12 months then i would suggest that you should ask your doctor if you could move to another drug... i.e dasatinib or tasigna. you can access tasigna through the ENACT trial programme. i do know that this drug does not display the same sort of side effect profile as glivec, or for that matter, sprycel... so given you have a rash it may be a good alternative. you really should ask your doctor for his view on your situation regarding steroids.

best wishes,
sandy C ;o)

Many people do take long term steroids for various conditions, but usually intermittent courses. Are you taking prednsiolone in varying doses every day? Or are you receiving regular 'courses' of the medication?

Either way, use of steroids long term does pose a problem - I'm sure that you'll have read the side effects in the information which comes with the medication.

You may well want to discuss these matters with your haematologist as suggested by Sandy

Paul