How much prednisone and for how long? | Arthritis Information

I take between 5 and 10 mg a day with little side effects.
What dose do you start seeing side effects and how long do they stay if you decrease the dose?
As soon as I taper down to say 2.5 mg over weeks, I have a flare that lasts for weeks again and then I have to start all over again and usually increase my MTX. It has been drummed into me how bad it is for you...
Thanks
Cathy
South Africa -

After I was taken off the MTX, Plaq and Azufidine. I was put on Prednisone/Hydrocodone for comfort until I could start on the Enbrel.

I started out with 20mg and after 6 weeks I started to decrease the amount I took. I now am at 10mg every other day and next week I will be taking 5 mg every other day for another week, then 2.5mg for another 2 weeks until I am off it all together and the Enbrel should be in my system long enough to be working with out any helper meds.

I have heard that flares may happen after you taper and discontinue the Prednisone and if I remember back, after my first discontinuence from Prdnisone, I had them too but at the time of the first tapering off the Prednisone my RD upped my MTX and added another helper med like Azulfidine and I think that's when the Tramadol was added too. You could ask your doctor if another helper med may be needed while going off the Prednisone.

Many people stay on Prednisone, low dosage (5mg-7.5mg), every day for years and do not suffer with to many side effects. One of the main problems with Prednisone is that it thins out your bones over time, contributing to "Osteopinia" and down the road "Osteoporosis" You may have to increase your calcium or start taken calcium if you are not now and if the above problems do show up (by way of a Dexa Scan,) you may have to go on a drug for the osteoporosis.

Here is a link to some information that you may find helpful.

http://www.medicinenet.com/prednisone/article.htm

I hope that you feel a little less tense about using the Prednisone as a helper med until your other RA meds kick in...I know you are probably sick of hearing this over used phrase " it all takes time" but that really is the truth.

My best to you and please keep posting as we always love to hear how everyone is doing.

Toni

Man i WISH 5-10 mgs would do something for me. I have to be on at least 25 to get any benefit...no offense, but consider yourself lucky! lol NYALI38675.427037037I was on 5 mg daily for a year. It took me about 5 months to wean myself off of it. I'd go down by 1 mg a month. Sometimes by a 1/2 mg a month. Always felt the effects, but eventually I got off it. I think anything over 10 mg you may see some side affects like weight gain or something.i take 15 mg i would hate to see me on none cause i still flare all the time.....teresaMerry do you have any side effects? How long have you been on 15? My dr wants me to do a pulse pack of 20 for 5 days to help with my pain but i am reluctant. She says if only on for 5 days you don't have to wean off???Hi hiphop,

I have been on prednisone for 2 years now. I am currently on 20mg a day and I take it seperately. My dosage was increased because the lower dosage was just not enough. My RA doctor told me from the beginning I would gain weight and believe me, I have! I hate the puffy face look I have now. Orginally, I was on methro...(sp)but because I am trying to conceive, prednisone is the only safe drug my doctor will put me on but I think I've heard otherwise on this board about that.

Yes, I have also heard negative things about prednisone. Unfortunately, I can not function without it! Good luck to you! How long will you be on it, do you know?I think i will be on it forever.............. i do not now what side affects are from what except i always have that puffyness in face and boobs like just before your period. i take 15 mg of predisone 400 mg of plaquinel 20 mg of mtx a water pill 3 mg of folic acid and i just started a antidepresent and 4 to 8 percacets a day and 7 mnths ago i worked full time worked out 6x a week had a family never even hardly went to the dr so wow i just got disabilit from the goverment so i have been deemed disabled......................teresa

Hi hiphop

I was on 1omg of prednisone for 1 year also with metho well then I came down with a really bad cold and my doc took me off metho until I was feeling better the funny thing was when I stopped taking the metho I was feeling better and was not in so much discomfort. The weird thing I though was that my doc believed that the metho was causing me to have flare ups instead of taking it away. Now I am on 20mg of prednisone because my enbrel stopped working for me so tomorrow is my first day of remicade so I pray it works for me and I hope they find something that works for you.