I'll try to keep this short and as on topic as I can...

My mother has had Crohns for about 10 years now.
She was on a low-ish dose of Prednisone for nearly a year. The side effects were pretty typical from what we were told to expect. But that was one of the best years she has had since she was diagnosed. She has been off it now for well over a year and she can barely get out of bed. I've woken up to hear practically screaming/crying in pain/frustration that she can't even get out of bed to make it the bathroom due to such lower back pain. Pain which has been attributed to, 12.9 million different possibilities. So a few months ago we came across a halved prednisone she had left in her little daily pill container. She took half and about 40 minutes later I had my mother back. She is 60 years old. Will not take typical narcotics because they don't seem to work and she just gets sick. When is her quality of life important to doctors? Is there an alternative to Pred? What would be the biggest concern if wanted to get her back on it long term? She doesn't care about the hairloss/weight gain and food dreams...she just wants to hold her grand kids and maybe make her bed from time to time.

Ugh, shit makes me cry. It kills me. I'm 37 years old, moved back in with her once my father died to help take care of her. And I feel so damned helpless...

Anyway, sorry to get a bit emotional about this but yeah...moms.