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PMR, TAPERING PREDNISONE

Posted , 2 users are following.

kathy67492
kathy67492

HI AGAIN, I have been on prednisone for 17 months,starting at 15-10. This is my second attempt at tapering; didnt go slow enough the first time!😒 I have now tapered down successfully...was on 8 mg for 5 weeks...have been on 7.5 for 2 weeks. For the first time I am feeling "nervous"..."anxious"....coyld this be prednisone withdrawal?

hate to complain when everything else is good, but I think I should be more calm now that I have gotten this far. I did feel a "shift" about a month ago (for the good!)...strange, but reason for optimism. Thank you for all the support this forum offers!

 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • sue-dorset
    sue-dorset kathy67492

    Posted

    Hi Kathy,

    could be! When I was on higher doses, and a lot less experienced with dealing with tapering (have GCA so started at 80mg) and dropped down overnight I would feel a bit edgy, and a bit short-tempered for a few days. 

    However, once I got to know more, and got down to 10mg I, like you reduce by 0.5mg a time, and also use a slower method, not the very slow method, but one that takes about 4 weeks to complete. I find this doesn't give me any problems ( touch wood etc) , am now just down to 3.5mg. Might be worth a try. 

    Could also be your adrenals taking time to kick back in, they haven't had to do anything for the last 17 months. 

  • EileenH
    EileenH kathy67492

    Posted

    It's possible though as Sue says - is it really anxiety or is it more edginess? 

    Have you seen the very slow reduction we keep harping on about on the forums?

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-website-addresses-and-resources-35316

    It is in the replies part - you just have one day at a time of the new lower dose and I find for the first 3 or 4 single days I feel strange, I can't put a finger on it. it is a sort of unsettled feeling. Then my body gives up complaining and accepts the new lower offering.

     

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