Predinisone reductions

[Psyborg]

So...would you wait for no pain on a reduction? I had been pain free, but then the weather changed a couple times and I think that is the cause of my pain this week. (Was up in the 60s for a couple days after being below normal for a while, now we are dropping back down to normal) But I want to be certain...I hate to cause myself any issues. I did have one single hive this morning (on my upper stomach), which makes me a bit cautious.

Erm FYI I'm at 5mg for three weeks now and was going to drop to 4mg on Friday.

[renidrag]

As long as your Doctor said to make the drop, I would go ahead with it and wait and see, you can always go back. The pain is off and on? I'd try it.
Dale

[Psyborg]

Oh it's definitely on and off. The last time I hit zero I immediately flared...so I'm probably a bit overcautious

In general I actually feel quite good right now other than aches and pains.

[pberggren1]

I think I'd go a tad slower if you flared last time so fast when getting to zero.

[Dirty Don]

FYI Bob: once I reached 15mg doc tapered every month by 2.5 mg. Once at 5 mg, the taper is 1mg/every 3 mos. It's slow and slightly irritating, but I have had no problems with tapering at all.

[Psyborg]

The doctor suggested every 3 weeks. At this point I'm kinda feeling like I'd like to try 4 weeks instead. Might hold off on the planned reduction until next week.

[Pete]

I have stayed at 5 mg/day since Thanksgiving. I have been stable at this dosage, and wanted to minimize the chance of having a flare over the holidays. I'll discuss the under 5 mg taper rate with Dr. Villa Forte when I see her on 1/29. I'm in no rush to taper off pred altogether as long as I do well.

[mishb]

I have also just started tapering from 5mg to 4mg

This is my second week and so far so good. My rhuemy said I have 6 months to get to 2.5mg but didn't give me a set plan, so my plan is to take it very slow

I will stay at 4mg maybe for a month and then try, probably, 3.5 for the next month and see how that goes. I am also, in no rush.

I guess if 3mg is what our systems normally create then getting to 3 and below will be the real problem.

Good luck to everyone in your taper's and I hope it goes smoothly without pain or disruption

[Psyborg]

I asked last time I was up and Dr Villa Forte said there was no reason someone my age shouldn't try to get off Prednisone. She had suggested the 3 week thing, but I think I'm going to play it by ear with the reductions...I want at least a week of feeling decent before attempting a further reduction.

The weird temperature fluctuations right now don't make it easy as I can't tell what is withdrawl pain versus what is from aches from the weather.

[drz]

I asked last time I was up and Dr Villa Forte said there was no reason someone my age shouldn't try to get off Prednisone. She had suggested the 3 week thing, but I think I'm going to play it by ear with the reductions...I want at least a week of feeling decent before attempting a further reduction.

The weird temperature fluctuations right now don't make it easy as I can't tell what is withdrawal pain versus what is from aches from the weather.

I used a similar method just to get down to 5 mg where I have stayed for over past year. I went down by 1/4 mg and waited a week or two till I felt OK and then tried another reduction.