buying quality time with prednisone

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DaniellaY - 19 Aug 2004 23:45 GMT

It's been a week on the prednisone for Delilah and it's like the clock has been
turned back a few months. She is still blind but she seems more like her old
self, just her disposition, the way she lies and stretches looking so content.
She even exposed her belly while I brushed her (something she rarely ever did).
And lied on my stomach purring up a storm. For this I am grateful.

The hard part is, I have no idea how much time I left with her and when she
does decline, how quickly will it be. If the seizures come back, vet will add
the P-barb. But the message I got was that this was just buying time and how
much they don't know becausl brain tumors each take their own path. He said
the only way to know is to do a brain scan now and then another next month to
see the progression which I'm not going to do since I would not opt for
surgery.

I just hope that when she does decline, it's slow enough that I have the
courage to do what I have to before she suffers too much yet I can be sure
enough I made the right decision without regrets. She is my first pet since
childhood and I don't know how I'm going to deal with this. It would be easier
for me if she could peacefully slip away on her own when it's time without too
much discomfort.

Has anyone been in a similar situation to this?

I'm very conflicted because next month I'm supposed to go to Canada for 5 days
for family celebration, grandmother is turning 90 and I am turning 40 but I am
so scared that if I go, something happens before I get back and I will never
forgive myself for not being there.

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J1Boss - 20 Aug 2004 00:06 GMT

>Has anyone been in a similar situation to this?

so many have, too many times. Some pets make it easier on us than others, but
in reality, it's never very easy.

Carey got sick in April of 2002. I didn't think she'd survive a day, but here
she is. We've never done an MRI (which has been criticized by some, supported
by others), and we're weaning her off some meds now (1st the phenobarb, then
the pred) and seeing some improvement in her urination problems. She's still a
weird but extremely lovable little cat, and I just tryto take one day at a
time.

Janet Boss
http://bestfriendsdogobedience.com/
http://photos.yahoo.com/bestfriendsobedience

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DaniellaY - 20 Aug 2004 03:20 GMT

That is great that Carey has been with you this long.

There was a time I used to think, how could a person not be 100% sure and why
not get the brain scan?

Now that I'm in this situation and weighing everything, I can see the other
side now. I can see and respect both sides. It's a tough call and every
situation is probably different.

Vet and neurologist wouldn't actually tell me what to do but both seem to agree
that doing the scan isn't going to extend her life unless tumor is operable and
I'm willing to do surgery and I'm not. My main concern was what if it's
something other than a brain tumor that can be easily remedied? That was
thought to be very highly unlikely. Neurologist just seemed so convinced it
was the brain tumor given all the observations I've made in the past several
months. I'm still on the fence on if to have a 2nd opinion.

She's had a very happy life with me but not without some struggles. At this
point I'd rather take my chances in giving her what I can of some quality life
with medical management (drugs) instead of possibly making her life worse with
something as risky as brain surgery.

I know there seems to be many pros/cons with the steriods but so far my cat
seems to be doing better (and the increased appetite is a welcome side affect,
she needs a little more weight).

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Cheryl - 20 Aug 2004 02:11 GMT

In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav",

> Has anyone been in a similar situation to this?

I got 2 years with my Shadow from Prednisone. He had IBD, and while
some have luck stablizing them with diet, I was never able to find
that balance that would make steroids unnecessary. Without steroids
he vomitted and had diarrhea. With steroids his vomiting was
almost gone, but it never did help the diarrhea. I think many
people and vets are afraid of steroids because of the talk of long-
term side-effects but even if those side-effects ever happen (and
cats do metabolize steroids better than dogs and even humans), you
have to weigh QOL (and possible shortened life) with steroids, or
misery and shortened life without.

I have another cat who gets depo medrol shots for allergies and he
is miserable without them and the cause of his allergies hasn't
been discovered yet. Steroids stop the itching and biting and fur
pulling and it is the only thing that does.

Signature

Cheryl

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Cathy Friedmann - 20 Aug 2004 03:29 GMT

> It's been a week on the prednisone for Delilah and it's like the clock has been
> turned back a few months. She is still blind but she seems more like her old
> self, just her disposition, the way she lies and stretches looking so content.
> She even exposed her belly while I brushed her (something she rarely ever did).
> And lied on my stomach purring up a storm. For this I am grateful.

My cat Debbie ('85 - '91) was on Prednisone - sometimes alternated w/
prednisolone (along w/ 3 other meds) for about 5 years. Prednisone was the
very first thing which kick-started, big-time, her absent appetite when she
was in the initial acute stage of her (later chronic) liver disease. I had
taken her to an internist/oncologist vet to have her liver problem
diagnosed, & a treatment plan initialized. She was too ill for a surgical
biopsy, & other than her liver enzymes being sky-high, we didn't know
exactly what the problem was. The specialist did a sonogram & core needle
biopsy, & gave her her first dose of Pred before we left his office. She
had eaten barely anything for days prior to this. As soon as the muscle
relaxant (for the tests) wore off, Debbie high-tailed it to the food bowls &
ate w/ gusto!

In her case, it was a matter of which was the lesser evil: keeping her on
the Prednisone, or what would happen if we took her off it. So we kept her
on it.

Btw - she eventually died of CRF, not from the liver disease - which had
become almost non-existant 5 years after its diagnosis.

Cathy

> The hard part is, I have no idea how much time I left with her and when she
> does decline, how quickly will it be. If the seizures come back, vet will add
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> so scared that if I go, something happens before I get back and I will never
> forgive myself for not being there.

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Paul M. Cook?? - 20 Aug 2004 04:07 GMT

> It's been a week on the prednisone for Delilah and it's like the clock has been
> turned back a few months. She is still blind but she seems more like her old
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Has anyone been in a similar situation to this?

I got about 6 months more with my cat, though he had cancer and was on
chemo. It was a great six months even though he looked ill most of the time
and I knew his end was approaching.

In the end he went somewhat quickly, though it was scary for him I know.
All you can do is hope for an easy end. It doesn't always happen though.

You are just buying time for the two of you to be together. But that is a
lot if it is clear the animal wants it too, as yours clearly does. She will
give you a sign when it is time. Looking back I recall the sign my cat gave
but I held on a bit longer than I should have.

All I can say is the mind is a weird thing - when the end came I felt
nothing at all. I was there and held him and felt his last breath. I cried
some and wished him well and told him to wait for me. I was in a daze, I
even went grocery shopping though for the life of me I have no recollection
from the time I left the emergency hospital to the time I got to the store.
My mind was just shut off. The next day was a different story - I cried
for hours until my head felt like it was going to explode. But the decision
to do what had to be done was easy. Living without him has never been easy,
though.

All I can say is watch her and pay attention to the signs. When the time is
ready, don't hesitate. Have a vet come to your home, many will do that.
You don;t want to make my mistake and wait too long.

Best wishes in this hard time.
Paul

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-L. : - 20 Aug 2004 06:05 GMT

Pred makes you feel great all over. I was on it for 9 months after a
near-drowning episode.

> The hard part is, I have no idea how much time I left with her and when she
> does decline, how quickly will it be. If the seizures come back, vet will add
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> see the progression which I'm not going to do since I would not opt for
> surgery.

I agree with your plan of treatment (or lack thereof). Sometimes you
just have to let nature take its course.

> I just hope that when she does decline, it's slow enough that I have the
> courage to do what I have to before she suffers too much yet I can be sure
> enough I made the right decision without regrets. She is my first pet since
> childhood and I don't know how I'm going to deal with this. It would be >easier
> for me if she could peacefully slip away on her own when it's time without too
> much discomfort.

It's always tough to lose your first one. The best thing you can do
is to start to prepare yourself mentally. I'm in a similar situation
with my dog - she has an inoperable spinal tumor which is affecting
her hind leg and pressing on her bowel and other organs. You
basically have to make them as comfy as you can and when you are no
longer able to ease their pain, to let them go. I have already
started to think about life without her, and what I will do with her
body once she is gone. Those thoughts hurt *a lot*, but I have to
prepare myself because I know it's coming.

> Has anyone been in a similar situation to this?

I have a friend who lost their cat to a brain tumor and he went
downhill very quickly, but I don't think they caught what was going on
until much later. The fact that the seizures have stopped is a good
sign.

> I'm very conflicted because next month I'm supposed to go to Canada for 5 days
> for family celebration, grandmother is turning 90 and I am turning 40 but I am
> so scared that if I go, something happens before I get back and I will never
> forgive myself for not being there.

I'm in a similar spot due to family obligations. You just have to go
on your trip, and get a good petsitter to care for the cat while you
are away. If worse comes to worst, you can have the vet keep the cat
comfortable until you can get back. While our obligatins to our
companion animals are important, I think our obligations to our human
family members are much more important. I lost my Mom suddenly
without being able to say goodbye, and I regret that every day of my
life. I woud do anything just to get another day with her.

Sorry I don't have any better advice for you, but I think you are
smart by not treating this agressively. Like my vet said to me, you
could throw a lot of money at the situation and end up making matters
worse. I'm sure your kitty knows she is loved - that's what matters
the most.

hugs and purrs,

-L.

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