Posted , 13 users are following.
I am still surprised at the amount of people that try to reduce pred by 1mg and more. I really think there is no other way than the dsns(is that right) i tried a 1mg a month it didnt work. Im down to 3 1/2, a few niggles but i pray i go down further, yes i know its not a race but i still want to get to nought.
0 likes, 14 replies
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Daniel1143 liz12234
Posted
I think one's rate of tapering is unique to the individual. For me the drop from 20-15 was reasonably accomplished in 2 1/2 mg decrements. From there I dropped at a rate of about 1/2 mg every two weeks or the equivalent of 1mg a month with discernible pauses at 7 1/2 mg and 5 mg. Slower from there down to 1 mg and slower again down to zero. My rate of descent was not precisely as would be prescribed by the dns method, but I tried to listen to my body and make the next move when a little birdie told me so. I think the bottom line really is to go slow and slower at times, and probably always slower than the book of rheumatology tells you to
jean39702 Daniel1143
Posted
Totally agree Daniel. I'm listening to the same little birdie. :-)
Silver49 Daniel1143
Posted
jean39702 Silver49
Posted
I'm just dropping by .5 to from 11 mg to 10.5. It will take me ages to get to 4 mg! Oh well, I'll be ecstatic to get that low when I do.
Silver49 jean39702
Posted
I didn't think I'd reach this stage but it's been 2 years and only one flare when I dropped from 12.5 to 10. I went back up to 12.5 and then dropped to 11as the 2.5 drop was too much. It's not a race but a meeting of the relief of symptoms and the correct dose of medication. Best wishes on the journey.
Michdonn Silver49
Posted
Silver49 Michdonn
Posted
I don't know how that must feel but I'm sorry to hear that and hope you manage to reduce again without flares. It's such a fine balance.
Michdonn liz12234
Posted
amkoffee liz12234
Posted
I think Daniel hit the nail right on the head. I think our taper schedules are as individual as our personalities. I struggled to get below 11 mg and tried it four different ways finally found a method to get there. I'm now tapering at .5 mg every two weeks. But I will extend that to three weeks if I feel that I need to. I have also started to split my dose so that I take most of it in the morning and the rest of it in the evening. I have found this to help me as well.
Michdonn amkoffee
Posted
greentea26 amkoffee
Posted
Can I ask what was the method you finally found to get you there?
Also - reducing 0.5mg at a time - do you acheive this by cutting tablets? Or do you ake the required dose on alternate days?
nick67069 liz12234
Posted
I think overall rule is "step should be no more then 10% of the dose".... From there, everyone has to find their own pace... I came relatively quickly from 15 to 10 in 2.5mg steps... then I switched to 1mg...Below 8mg my steps were 0.5mg. I never have more then one reduction in a month and always have at least 1-2 weeks between reductions. But the most important think is to listen to your body and keep notes. I am at 5 to 4.5 taper currently, second attempt. First attempt was in December. Half way thru, I noticed that symptoms, which usually go away after second week of taper are still there and starting to increase. I stopped taper, did two days of old dose + 1mg ( 6mg) to flush the system and then went back to 5mg. Never had a flair , (knock on wood).
Michdonn nick67069
Posted
margaret22251 liz12234
Posted
HI i did the dsns method by .5mg, then as the Rheumy thought i did not have pmr he said reduce by 1mg, but i said iwould but followed Eileen's method, and he was ok with it.