Prednisone--What a Difference 0.5 mg Makes

[berylj]

i had a clinic visit yesterday,ive been on 5mg pred for a while,( had a flareup) doc told me to reduce pred by taking half the dose alternate days
for 1 month, then continue with half dose until next clinic app in 3 mths, they like to reduce pred as slow as poss. i feel a bit panicky as last
year when i came off pred, within months i had a flare, i suppose i must keep trying! docs here dont like to keep patients on preds too long
but i am making sure i have some spare!
berylj

[Jack]

It can never be a good thing to take steroids long term, but many of us Wegies are stuck with it as the lesser of the two evils.

[elephant]

I have a feeling, I will be part of that lesser than the two evil program of prednisone.

[Sangye]

Beryl, if you do alternate days of 5--2.5--5 and you get ANY increase in Wegs symptoms, you might try going even slower. (Check with your doc first, though) That's a big jump for someone who's been on pred for awhile. I've only been on 4mg for a few months (was on massive doses in 2006/7) but I notice a huge difference between 4mg and 3.5 mg!

[coffeelover]

I have recently been told I am in remission. YEAH! But, still dropping the pred. so a bit nervous about possible flares? My rheumy told be to go down 2 and 1/2 every week until I am off it? Is this the best scenario do you suppose? I went from 10 to 7and 1/2 and today started on my week of 5.
So far,so good. But it has only been a week since the good news.
LIsa Coffeelover

[Sangye]

Alright, I don't think alternating days of 4mg and 3.5mg is cutting it for me. Sort of maybe kinda. Yesterday was a 3.5mg day, and I woke up today with some joint pain. It passed pretty quickly, but I was glad to get 4mg in me. I'm giving it another 2 days. If it continues then I'll try 2 or 3 days at 4mg for every one at 3.5 mg. I think the occasional break of 3.5 mg will help reduce side effects.

Meanwhile, my EKG was normal today--no heart symptoms since. I'm doing a 3-week heart monitor, though, just to make sure everything is okay. A little pain in the neck, but better than, you know, death....

[elephant]

That is great news. Yahoo! I personally think that it is too fast. Actually my Rheumy thought that was a good idea to decrease the prednisone 1 mg/month. I am on 5, but I might stay on it longer than a month. Starting at 10 mg of prednisone, just decrease down to 1 mg a month. I personally think that way you can monitor yourself if a flare is coming. If you go to fast, you could possible get a flare quickly. Everyone is different, maybe you won't have any of those issues. So do what is best for you.

[elephant]

Sangye, glad your ECG went well. I wore those halter monitors and they are a pain. That prednisone has gotten most of us in a slump...trying to wean off it. Hope your plan works.

[Sangye]

Lisa-- what great news!!! I agree with Elephant. My Wegs doc also said when you get to 5 mg, don't drop faster than 1 mg per month. Slower than that is okay, but not faster.

[coffeelover]

Thanks Elephant
I am going possibly slow down more than she requested from the 5 mg phase. Your advice is good. btw-I was at a store the other day and saw some ceramic elephants that were beuatiful and immediately thought of you. Was going to take a pic with my phone and send it to you...but didn't/
SANGYE-So glad your EKG was normal. I have missed quite a few days and it is exhausting to try to catch up on everything, but I hope you are doing OK and glad your test came back normal. Normal is sooooo good.