Fifty Plus (50+) - Don't tell the UCI, but I'm taking Steroids!

I tried to put it off but I'm doing the prednisone pack for 6 days. After 6 weeks of NSAIDs it seems I've hit a plateau on improvements. We're hoping it will finally calm down the inflammation and swelling in the knees and feet/ankles. The knees were a little better but now my ankles and feet are swollen so much it's hard to get socks and shoes over them. By the end of the day they're too painful to walk on......

Any takers on a race using "walkers" immediately after my last Roid pill????? I'd love to see how much a difference they make!!

I'll have to ask my Race Officials at the TT's if I get to keep a new PR if I set one this summer????

Side story---last weekend my wife dropped me off at the front door to Walmart so I could pick up item I had to have early the next day. It was after 9pm and I could hardly walk due to the pain in my knees and feet (I had already done too much on them for the day)-but I pressed on. As I entered the automatic doors off to my left sat an electric cart that was fully charged and ready for use. I just couldn't make myself use it---just like tossing aside the walkers, crutches, cane etc. Wouldn't you know what I was looking for was at the very back of the store. After shuffling about 1/2 way towards the back I sure wished I had jumped on that thing!!! You don't realize how big those darn stores can be until you taking baby steps with each one being in sharp pain!!

I wouldn't really consider prednisone a PED but it might put some unwanted weight on you. Hope it helps!

In addition to the corticosteroids in your Dose Pak, you need to find a doc who will give you a script for some anabolic steroids. Otherwise, you won't be able to savor the experience of 'roid rage. Not to mention the performance improvements.

Hope the prednisone does it's job

You ought to have a chat with the professional riders- They know which diet to take for it to be an Honest error.:innocent:

I feel for you, but I'd have used that cart in an instant. When it comes to giving the body a chance to heal, rest is a good thing. I know it's hard, but you got to stop over doing it. OK, end of scolding. I truly hope the treatment helps.

You need one of these...
185353

It's Italian to match the Prince, and likely you could get a red one to match :D

Check out your drugs here. http://www.globaldro.com/ It is not just UCI...

Prednisone is allowed out of competition with doctors diagnosis and prescription but not in competition. Theoretically, you would have to file a document with USADA unless you competed internationally.

I suspect that in the coming years, we will see more and more people in our age group being prescribed steroids. This will be to slow down muscle loss, which happens with aging.
Anyone with actual medical know-how care to comment?

I take prednisone and Humatrope, an HGH. And I wish I did not have to.

A pituitary tumor, followed by surgery then radiation effectively killed my pituitary gland which eventually resulted in a number of endocrine failures. I was pretty miserable and had several near-death experiences (severe low blood pressure episodes, fainting while driving etc.) until a doctor was smart enough to see what should have been obvious to several previous doctors. I'm just fine now, as long as I take the meds, and I take a lot.

Git,
Man I thought I took a lot of pills for my problems. None are as serious as the ones you take. Do they monitor your blood chem closely? I would be afraid of liver damage. You are one strong man to keep going after cancer, radiation and chemo. Many of the members here have fought that one too. Thank God I have not had cancer yet.

Bill

I've done the same thing. Three years ago I was riding centuries and ran a half-marathon just to see if I still could; today I'm hobbling around trying to figure the shortest distance between the whole-bean coffee and the checkout stand. Can't make myself get in that cart, though. Had the same symptoms you describe, some knee issues and pretty bad ankles, cause uncertain but certainly aggravated by the 30+ pounds I've gained on prednisone.
The good news: Improvement continues, slowly but consistently, helped by stretching (which I HATE) and resistance exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles. And I've got my prednisone dosage down to 7.5mg a day (from 50), so I have some control over my appetite now. Got a big red weight goal on my calendar for April 1.

I've been wondering how you've been doing. I hear your pride is still in very good working order ;) It's good news that your knees have been improving. Here's to hoping the prednisone helps with the swelling and pain in your ankles (and knees). I wish you the best.

I've done the same thing. Three years ago I was riding centuries and ran a half-marathon just to see if I still could; today I'm hobbling around trying to figure the shortest distance between the whole-bean coffee and the checkout stand. Can't make myself get in that cart, though. Had the same symptoms you describe, some knee issues and pretty bad ankles, cause uncertain but certainly aggravated by the 30+ pounds I've gained on prednisone.
The good news: Improvement continues, slowly but consistently, helped by stretching (which I HATE) and resistance exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles. And I've got my prednisone dosage down to 7.5mg a day (from 50), so I have some control over my appetite now. Got a big red weight goal on my calendar for April 1.

Wow VG--I had no idea of your plight. It sounds like your prednisone dosages are higher than mine as well. The loss of muscle mass over a short time period is just amazing. I used to have a little bit of a quad muscle and calf muscle but right now it is just skin over bone!


I've been wondering how you've been doing. I hear your pride is still in very good working order ;) It's good news that your knees have been improving. Here's to hoping the prednisone helps with the swelling and pain in your ankles (and knees). I wish you the best.

Thanks Bare Feet. There are a lot of times I can be just plain dumb!

I hope the Prednisone works. Good luck.

Good luck with the Prednisone. I have taken it as Pred Forte after eye surgery to reduce swelling.

Good luck and Gods speed with the healing process. It's true that at this age especially health can be fragile. I didn't have anything as painful as you are having but one day I did the 109 mile Tour de Tucson (2009) and a week latter I was bed ridden for about a month with a thyroid failure, and other complications. Thank God we finally got the dosages figured out just last week. Again Good luck and Gods speed.

Good luck and Gods speed with the healing process. It's true that at this age especially health can be fragile. I didn't have anything as painful as you are having but one day I did the 109 mile Tour de Tucson (2009) and a week latter I was bed ridden for about a month with a thyroid failure, and other complications. Thank God we finally got the dosages figured out just last week. Again Good luck and Gods speed.

I did the El Tour in 2008---I hope there is no connection!! But I did eat some bad food in Az did cause my current joint issues .................

I take prednisone and Humatrope, an HGH. And I wish I did not have to.

A pituitary tumor, followed by surgery then radiation effectively killed my pituitary gland which eventually resulted in a number of endocrine failures. I was pretty miserable and had several near-death experiences (severe low blood pressure episodes, fainting while driving etc.) until a doctor was smart enough to see what should have been obvious to several previous doctors. I'm just fine now, as long as I take the meds, and I take a lot.

Thank you, I feel better knowing that I am not the only one, my thyroid is gone and my pituitary gland is not functioning correctly according to my endocrinologist, so I have to take meds (thyroxine and testosterone), because of very low blood pressure, very slow heart rate, tired with a lot of muscle pains etc.--not anymore!