Pred Taper

[Brooke]

Ok, so I know you are supposed to taper prednisone very slowly but my question is: If you taper too quickly and symptoms start to arrise, is that a wegener's flare or would that be a symptom of tapering the prednisone too quickly?"
I read one of the symptoms of tapering prednisone too quickly is joint pain. So, that wouldn't necessarily be associated with Wegener's correct? I myself do not have joint pain.

[Jack]

There are two problems associated with reducing Pred too quickly. The first is that the shock of it might bring on a Wegener's flare, this will usually be signaled by a return of your original symptoms. The second problem is that long term steroids will shut down the adrenal glands and it may take a bit of prompting to get them started again. If you have been on Pred for a very long time, it may not be possible to ever give it up completely. The symptoms of this are more vague with fatigue, weakness and a general feeling of being unwell to the extent that it can prove fatal.

[Sangye]

Brooke, even though I'm tapering pred extremely slowly, I still go through periods of severe pain (joints, muscles-- basically every square inch). Fortunately I've had Wegs joint pain so I knew it wasn't that. It felt totally different. I've often felt lousy for a day or two after dropping down a bit. The key is that if it's due to the pred, it goes away. If it's due to Wegs, it doesn't.

[Brooke]

Thanks Jack and Sangye - I will watch my symptoms carefully while tapering the pred.

[Jack]

If it all starts going wrong, put your dose back up for a while and try again later.

[elephant]

I concer with the above statements!

[jola57]

Brooke, I have been tapering from 15mg very very slowly, about 1mg per month then from 10mg I am tapering 1mg per 1 to 2 months. I am down to 5mg. Last year I tapered too quickly form 10 to 5 and flared badly, not only joint pain but coughing up blood. Had to go on cyclo for a year. So this time I am going as slow as I want. I have been on 5 for a week and feeling good

[Sangye]

That's great, Jolanta!! I remember when you thought you'd never get below 10mg. Ha! Take that, Wegs!

What's your plan for tapering down from 5 mg? I highly recommend my 0.25 mg a week drop.

[Col 23]

I just had to go up again for awhile and am now back at 15mg until the end of the month and we will see after more bloods. After that it will be very slowly. I had losts of joint pain, but I get that anyway, also noted nodules in the legs returned and foot pain when I was tapering. I also became very sleepy.
cheers Col 23

[Sangye]

When you tried tapering, did you have more joint pain than you do on 15 mg?