Decreasing dose from 30 mg?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Good evening,

wishing all site participants a Happy and Healthier New Year to all.

please can someone remind me of the optimal way to reduce down from 30 mg? I've reduced from 2 wks at 60 mg in 5 mg stages and from 35 - 30 mg I've adjusted over 1 weeks. plan to stay at 30 mg for a weeks as some breakthrough inflammation. Should the next stage be reduced in 2.5 mg increments?

Aim is to get to <20 mg asap as have lots of pred related side effects such as sweats, glucose in urine and can't sleep for more than 5-6 hours per night and feeling quite diminished in myself.

very best wishes

Heron

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Edited

    If you have some breakthrough symptoms you need to stay where you are and assess whether it is stable or deteriorating. If it is stable after a month you can consider 2.5mg decrements to 20mg but if it isn't and you feel it is getting worse - you may need to go back up a tad. There is no point trying to force a reduction, you run the risk of needing to go up even higher.

  • Posted

    Many thanks Eileen,

    for you helpful, knowledgeable and pragmatic advice as always.

    Best regards

    Heron

  • Posted

    Hopefully your discomfort is only pred withdrawal. The rule of thumb to help us distinguish between pred withdrawal and PMR symptoms is, the withdrawal happens quite soon after reducing a dose, then gets better in a few days. PMR symptoms start up usually a little more slowly but gradually worsen. Of course we are all different, but this does seem to help many figure out what should be their next step. The issue of pred withdrawal vs PMR symptoms is also a very good reason to use a slow tapering method. That way one doesn't overshoot the point of the lowest effective dose, which is what we all want, and we also more easily avoiding triggering flares, which then results in taking more pred which we don't want!

  • Posted

    I wish, I was OK on 30 mg for 2 days but on the 3rd night I awoke with right sided temple pain and heavy aching legs and felt absolutely awful the next day with leg movements slow and painful. Upped the dose back up to 35 mg today and have had a much better day though legs movement still slow and like walking through treacle. Walked for 4.8km though and felt much better after being out in the winter sunshine. I'll stay at 35 mg for a few days and try 30 mg again by the end of the week.

    Happy New Year to all. All shall be well for us all eventually.

    Very best wishes

    Heron

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