can reduction of pred cause a headache ?

**Alysia** · 04-25-2014, 07:49 PM

Hi,
Thanks God for this forum. whew..... I couldn't survive without you...
the last 2 days I have an aweful headaches.
a week ago I had my rtx and with it 120mg steroids in the IV, so I though that this can be an opportunity to try again to reduce my dear pred from 5mg to 4mg. so it is about a week of 4mg.
but then, comes this headach which is felt different and it very strong. so strong that just now I cancelled 2 meetings that I should have done at work, because I can't stand it.
can the reduction of pred cause it ? I don't have other symptoms of reduction so far.
or is it because of the rtx ???
thanks again.

**pberggren1** · 04-25-2014, 08:42 PM

Please keep an eye on this sweetie. My gut tells me it is prob the pred reduction as you are very sensitive to pred reductions.

**mishb** · 04-25-2014, 10:56 PM

Yep, it will be the pred since you are no longer on MTX. I would drop from 5 to 4.5 and see if that makes a difference.
MTX gives me a headache

Listen to Dr Phil

**windchime** · 04-25-2014, 11:15 PM

Don't forget the stress of your oh so pleasant meeting. That could also cause a big headache. Feel better.

**Geoff** · 04-26-2014, 12:36 AM

Hi Alysia, 5mg is a barrier for me and i have never got below it. That being said, i would drop by 1/2mg at a time and even go 5mg on alternate days to start with.
Question, have you ever been below 5mg? Since my dx 6 years ago i have failed to get lower. The docs say my Wegs is recalcigent and i now think that i will be on pred forever.
They tell me 5mg is nothing to worry about and i am tending towards that theory!!

**Geoff** · 04-26-2014, 12:39 AM

I meant to say that i am usually out of sorts for up to 5 weeks after a RTX IV. Do you have any 'fall out' after treatment?

**Alysia** · 04-26-2014, 01:32 AM

Thanks, my friends, for your wise words and support.

Cindy, thanks for thinking about the impact of yesterday

Dr. Phil, I just took 1mg more an hour ago and tomorow I will be back to 5mg. I hope I will not need to up to 7 or 8

even for a while.... I will watch it...
Geoff, I was not all the years on pred. at the acute onset I was couple of months on 60 mg. then I reduced gradually to zero and about 4.5 years I was on/ off on various doses, ranging between 30mg to 10mg for short periods. only in the 1.5 last year I am constantly on pred, sometimes more then 5mg. usually 5mg.
I don't know if it can be the impact of the rtx. last time I had pains all over. but not headaches.
p.s. my big son, a soldier, is just got sick now with fever and headaches. I hope I don't have what he has...