I went off pred on Monday and so far my joints are hurting again after sitting for awhile. And my knees and elbows have been hurting too but I am in the chicago area and it has been raining like hell over here.
It's not so bad as it has been before pred and I think the weather is going to get better.
I will miss the pred for sure. I hope this works out. The doctor was pushing me to get off. Would you beleive I was holding on to it like a big baby and I was bitching about taking it at the same time.
Good for you. I haven't used prednisone in over 7 years. The side effects just weren't worth it to me. I know some people do okay with the lower doses, but I was not one of them. Hang in there.
SarahHiThinkthin, am soooo happy whenever I hear that someone has been able to taper off Pred. Great news. If it weren't for Pred. I probably would have died. Better a little swollen and a weight gain versus pushing up daisies. I have complications from RA and Pred was a life saver for me. Congratulations! I'm heading there and I wonder if after we 'get off the pred' we can take some regular pain meds, acediphemines, etc.? just to help out a bit? everyday my knuckles are swollen and stiff, even with all the meds? sarahThanks,
I dont know what he will be prescribing for pain. He told me to take advil.
However I dont think it works very well.
What is a acediphedamine??
good morning everyone!!
I, too, was on pred for what seemed like ages...I was actually taking the steroid packs that are a seven day cycle and gradually takes you down to just one 5mg a day. Now I am off all steroids for about a month now. I began having reactions to it also. Aside from the usual weight gain, my blood pressure went up. My pressure usually runs pretty low....102/55..it shot up to 190/80...so I had to stop taking it. Almost immediately, the pain returned.
oh, well. Now i just have no idea what to do .....
hope everyone is having a good morning....
Congrats!!!!! I have been on it for about a year now as well, varying doses, as high as 80mg but I am down to 4 right now, was at 3.5 but had a major flare a week or so ago. Every time I try to go down, even .5mg, I am ok for about 72 hours, than all the sudden WHAM, can't move, the pain is incredible. I have been getting toradol shots each time I try to go down and that helps to get over the hump.
Congrats!! I am off the pred as of Friday!! 2.5mg today and tomorrow. I see that you are on a pretty low dose of mtx. My rheumy upped my dose of mtx to compensate for being off the pred. I was at .6ml (15mg) and now at .8ml (20mg). Maybe this is something that you can call and ask your rheumy about.Grammaskittles.
Oh, I am hoping my mtx wont be upped. I have a feeling that is what he is thinking. I would rather stay on this low dose if I could. With my luck I will have to be upped on the MTX.
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