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Getting below 7.5 mg Prednisone

Posted , 12 users are following.

paula63201
paula63201

After being at 7.5 mg Prednisone from the beginning of December, 2014, and with a short burst of 10 mg on account of an infection, I began a reduction on February 14, from 7.5 mg to 7.0 mg. On March 1, I took my first dose of 6.5 and then, 7.0, 7.0. 7.0, etc. am hoping to get to 6.5 by March 15 and to stay on that until April 1, when I will start reducing to 6.0 by May 1. My rheumy expects me to be at 5.0 on May 1, but she will be disappointed, as I do not share her expectation.

My ESR has been normal for over a year.

Here are some issues.

I feel fatigue.

I have a pain in the ball of my right thumb, when I try to write with a pencil or pen or when I knit or when I try to lift things, like a dinner plate, for example, using the thumb. It feels like there is a knot in the muscle of the thumb and it hurts to press. I am right handed and use the right hand to use the mouse. I have been using a mouse for over 12 years constantly as I use the computer to write and click the mouse the whole time. Never experienced this before the last 3 weeks. The left hand does not hurt.

My eyelids are swollen and red and have been burning for about 2 weeks. I could explain this by saying that it is on account of the dryness in the air caused by heating in this (for us) long and unusually cold winter. But it has been cold for several months.

So here are the questions:

Fatigue: how long does it take for the body to adjust to the lower dose of Prednisone, and how soon does the fatigue lift? Should one wait until fatigue lifts before going to a lower dose?

Has anyone experienced similar hand and eye symptoms?

My ophthalmologist recommended me to an eye surgeon for cataract evaluation. I hope the surgeon, whom I am seeing on March 18, doesn't turn me down on account of the irritation to the eyelids. The cataracts have been growing for a while and they are really a bother-- am practically climbing into the computer when I write and can't see to drive at night as all headlights of oncoming cars and streetlights have rainbow halos around them.

Thank you in advance!

Paula

 

1 like, 36 replies

36 Replies

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  • doreen25667
    doreen25667 paula63201

    Posted

    Hi, Paula,

    Yes I am experiencing the same problem with regard to dryness in my eyes, especially at night. I got drops from my optician which seem to help a wee bit. I also am finding driving at night difficult with lights from oncoming cars almost blinding me, so have stopped that as far as I can.

    Do hope you get the cataracts operated on soon.

    Doreen

    • paula63201
      paula63201 doreen25667

      Posted

      Thanks, Doreen. Good to know I am not alone!! Yes, the dryness is especially bad in the morning!

      Hope you can get yourcataracts done, too.

      Waiting for spring, so I can get out in the evenings!

  • adams74738
    adams74738 paula63201

    Posted

    Thanks, Doreen. Good to know I am not alone!! Yes, the dryness is especially bad in the <a href="https://www.google.co.id/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.&oq=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.&aqs=chrome..69i58j69i57j5l4.4024j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">morning</a>!

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