to drop or not to drop | Arthritis Information

My RD has allowed me to taper my prednisone using the guidelines of 1 MG every 2 to 4 weeks based on how I feel after I drop.

I'm at the 2 week mark and I planned on dropping down to 6 mgs today. I felt fine up until 4 days ago when I was the achiest (how the heck do you spell that word?) I have been since I got better. I felt like that the next day too and then yesterday I felt good for the first part of the day and then felt pretty achy last night. This morning I'm stiff and my knees hurt when I walk.

I don't know if I'm just in a rough patch or it's a sign I can't drop.

I soooooo want to get off of this prednisone. I really want to make the drop.

Question- if I drop and I feel really bad can't I just go back up the 1 mg again?

All I remember is my RD saying don't push yourself unless you want to go into a major flare. Would 1 mg really send me into one?

Why don't you just give it another week? I mean, I know you want off and everything, I don't blame you. But in the grand scheme, a weel is pretty short. Then you will have a better idea on what to do.wait for another couple of days and then instead of dropping 1 mg drop 1/2 mg per day or alternate 6 one day 5 the next for a week. The lower you go the bigger % drop that 1mg is so its not unusual that a taper has to slow down. You were on a really high dose so you do have to be patientGive this dose a few more days and then if you are still achy go up 1. Then start cutting back by half of the 1mg pill every 4 to 6 weeks as the doctor prescribed. It takes a long time to get off a high dose. When we get down to about 5 or 6, our bodies are supposed to start supplying it but sometimes it takes a while.
AnnIt took me a year to taper from 30mg. of Pred. to 7.5 mg. You need to be patient. Buckeye gave you good advice about dropping 1/2mg. instead of 1mg and/or alternating days. It isn't easy to taper off Pred. and it can be a long process, don't rush it. You need to give your body time between tapers to adjust. Lindyhi wannabe .. i have been on pred 13yrs .. for some people a low dose
pred may be part of the treatment needed to control ra..

i never knew 1mg and 1/2 mg existed

Boney

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll take it. I'm discouraged but no sense in risking going backwards. I hope I won't have to always take a low maintenance dose...only because of the nuisance side effects I've been having from it.

hi wannabe if your doc wants you off pred thats it..
if your med works alone thats good. it may not be ra
raising up. rather whithdrawl symptoms..
i wonderd what side effects you have off the pred..

Boney WTBF, I have to take a low maintenance dose 7.5 mg. because my adrenals don't produce the amount needed on a daily basis. When you're on a maintenance dose you're not getting extra steroids, you're taking the amount that your body is supposed to produce naturally on a daily basis. I was on Pred. for 5 years. I think if you've been on it for a shorter period of time that pulsing and tapering will tease your adrenals into producing if they've stopped. Lindy LinB2008-06-12 10:29:15side effects:

Yeast infections

appetite/weight gain

global gut

not moon face but puffy face

what is pulse & taper?