My Doctor is pretty convinced I have Lupus, so she wants to prescribe me Prednisone. But she said she will only do it after I am done with my Nitrofurantoin. I have a UTI that's why I am taking Nitrofurantoin. But I'm curious why she won't prescribe it for me now because I'm on Nitrofurantoin. Also my hands are swollen. I will be posting a pic of my right hand.
113-Swollenhand.jpg (28.1 KB)
EXCUSE THE CAPS, I CAN'T SEE WELL TODAY.
PREDNISONE LOWERS YOUR ABILITY TO FIGHT INFECTIONS, SO SHE HAS TO WAIT UNTIL YOUR UTI IS CURED BEFORE SHE CAN START THE PRED, OR YOUR UTI WILL GET VERY MUCH WORSE. IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH THE NITROFURANTOIN, SHE WORDED IT WRONG. I GUESS SHE THINKS WHEN THE MEDS RUN OUT, YOUR INFECTION SHOULD BE GONE.
Nitrofurantoine and pred don't mix at all. NF is very hard on the liver too. I took that stuff for years 30 years ago for chronic kidney infections. I call it "stuff" because there are better drugs on the market and that stuff is caustic in the urinary tract which is why I had to eventually stop taking it.
Wait until the NF is done. Didn't know it was still prescribed. Hope you feel better soon.
You got to hold on.
From what I am reading, all the responses are spot on. Prednisone is is a powerful anti-inflammatory which also suppresses the immune system. You definitely want to be rid of your infection prior to starting prednisone. Sorry about your swollen hands.. I can see the pain through the picture. :) Advil always helps me when I have swollen joints, at least a bit.
Hang in there.
I was going to say the same as Sheila (and the caps are such a good strategy when your eyes are tired!) One more thing to add: antibiotics either start to kill bacteria or just prevent further growth, but either way your immune system ultimately has to kill it all off. You definitely don’t want to cut that short with an immunosuppressant. Another problem beyond that is that failing to clear all the bacteria means the ones that are left over are the most resistant to the drug… Bacteria don’t become resistant by being smart, just lucky (randomly mutated genes that happen to work better for the circumstances…) This is simply evolution by natural selection sped up really fast because bacteria go through so many cycles of reproduction in such a short time!
Wow, I think that’s the best overview of antibiotic resistance I’ve ever explained, in two sentences! 
I studied biology in college, but it’s always a fun challenge to explain it in a quick way to avoid boring or losing people who aren’t such biology nerds! But really everyone on here becomes one at some point I’m always impressed by how knowledgeable (or at least curious) everyone in this community is! I learn new things all the time here.
As a good example, I don’t recall hearing about the nitrofurantoin-prednisone difficulties. I usually scour the “provider” details of every drug I take, but I suppose there are plenty enough that I don’t remember them all (why I also re-read them even when I take a drug I’ve had in the past!) Nitrofurantoin is my best go-to for UTIs, since I can’t take sulfa drugs (I have an allergic reaction, plus they are known to cause flares in SLE, so we should all be avoiding them!) The next level up is the fluoroquinolones, like Cipro, which are much more toxic drugs, and which give me sudden, sever mood/mental disturbance/instability. I’m bipolar and used to that to some extent, but the giant swings all in the same few days are way beyond my comfort zone! It’s also so scary how you can’t think it through from inside the situation (true for mental illness in general, but impossible when it’s so sudden and unexpected.) So for me, nitrofurantoin is the safest option, and for the short courses I’ve taken I haven’t a had any problems (which is a big deal in itself because I have issues with almost anything, drugs, foods, hair/skin care, toothpaste, etc.)
The nastiest side effects of any drug (aside from immediate allergy) tend to emerge when it’s used long-term like USAgurl unfortunately had to 
I’ll definitely be looking into those side effects since I’m also on 2 other long-term drugs that are hard on the liver (plaquenil and depakote) along with ongoing low-dose Medrol aka methylprednisolone, a lower side-effects, newer derivative of prednisone…
To me prednisone is the one that I can’t understand still prescribing when this newer one is so much better and both are pretty cheap drugs anyway! I always suggest to ask your doc why you’re not on methylprednisolone. There’s and extra “ol” in the name, methyl-prednis-ol-one. Easier just to use the brand name Medrol.
A lot of docs says whatever, same stuff and prednisone’s cheaper, but I was SO glad I was put on it by my first rheumy who was on the younger side and did his residency in a special lupus institute. If they say it doesn’t make a difference, just ask why you can’t just pick the one you prefer, since it “doesn’t make a difference anyway.” In a nice way of course, so they actually get out that prescription pad! 
Same goes for antibiotics… ask for info and choices. It is, after all, their duty to inform you and include you in your health choices, and they should feel lucky to have an active participant! As far as mixing drugs and choosing based on interactions, though, they get final say (which you then double-check with the pharmacist, the actual expert on actions and interactions of drugs. I always check for myself too!)
Best of luck waiting it out!