Methotrexate, Pred Stepdown & advice

[elephant]

I never seen that either. The highest dose I've see alternating days is 10 mg.

[talentx7]

Sangye...Carter has been on 25mg since Nov. 15. He has reduced 5mg a month until now.

[talentx7]

Elephant, I'm glad you have at least heard of alternating, but I thought it seemed different than what I have read here. Maybe its because he is so young, or been on it so long???

[Sangye]

I think my body would absolutely freak out if I alternated that much each day, especially the days where he takes a very low dose. If they're only trying to get him from 25mg to 20mg in 2 weeks, why wouldn't they just lower it by 2.5 mg each week? So 1st week would be 22.5mg and 2nd week would be 20mg. That's easy on the body.

I guess you could try out their plan and ask them to change it if it's troublesome.

[pberggren1]

That type of taper just sounds too dangerous to try.

[DEE]

i was on 25mg preds for a long time and have started tappering but onlt 2.5 mg everu sic weeks and then only with the review of wg consult even with that anount i notice a difference better on the day i take 12/2,5 mg than the dayi take 10mg

[Jack]

The alternate day method is widely published and must be used by many, but like most people on here, I could not go for a day without pred and not get hit by the effects of withdrawal. I feel ill by the afternoon if I accidentally miss a dose!

[Sangye]

I don't understand the reasoning for alternate day dosing. Pred doesn't stay in the body for very long, so it seems that skipping a day would stress the adrenals a great deal. I see Dr Seo next week and will ask him. He's mentioned alternate day dosing at low doses but hasn't seemed too enthusiastic about it.

[julia]

I am tapering pred 5mg one day. 0 the next. I have been doing this for about8 weeks. I was very reluctant to try it. I have been on pred since june of 09. I do notice some discomfort at times. This is different from the pain pre weg dx. I am also more emotional. Lately if I do notice these symptoms it tends to be on the day I take the pred. (this surprises me).

I had 2 instances of taking the pred 2 days in a row. 2 weeks into doing alternating days I took it on Sunday and Monday( I had a water arobics class Monday night and was nervous that with the added exercise my body would not tolerate the day without pred) It was just me being paranoid no symptoms to back it up. I did not notice much difference.
2nd time was around Thanksgiving. I had done too much that week. I was tired , I had foot pain (I have had foot discomfort in the past but this was different and stronger) I took the pred on a day I was not scheduled to take it. I did feel it helped and my body may actually have needed the extra dose that week.

The taper is going o.k. I did not discuss with my doctor the next step in the taper. I really was expecting to go from 5 everyday to 4.5 or 4. With the holidays this month I thought I would wait until after the new year to call.

The good news with pred reduction is I have not gained any weight since May. Lost about 5 lbs. Many,Many more to go.

Hope all goes well for your son.

[Sangye]

I am tapering pred 5mg one day. 0 the next. I have been doing this for about8 weeks. I was very reluctant to try it. I have been on pred since june of 09. I do notice some discomfort at times. This is different from the pain pre weg dx. I am also more emotional. Lately if I do notice these symptoms it tends to be on the day I take the pred. (this surprises me).

Julia, when do you get those symptoms-- before you take the pred for the day, within a couple hours of taking it, or many hours after taking it?