Trying to reduce from 10 to 9 with Pred and now have a rash.

Posted , 6 users are following.

Last time I tried to reduce lower than 10 I developed a nasty case of Carpal tunnel, which has taken months to go away on the 15 that my Dr prescribed. Now I've successfully tapered to 10 I've found that a slow drop ( alternating doses over 7 days) to 9 is causing more problems in that I have developed a rash on my back and forearms that itches like mad , and is somewhat relieved by magnesium spray but shows no sign of going away even though I have gone back to 10 for the last week.  Has anyone else had experience of this?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    Priscilla,

       My Rheumatologist  had me on 10 mg for a month then she reduced me to 9 for a month (which I am on at the moment). I had no problem, so far....she told me if I felt pain coming back, go back to 10 for one day and then back to 9, alternating until the pain goes...I did not get any side affects from the reduction in dosage.

    • Posted

      Thanks Jean....it could be completely unrelated of course.  Glad to hear your tapering is going well.
  • Posted

    priscilla23272, I reduced to 8 with no problems, had a good reduction of side effects, flared at 7 mg. I was not using DSNS, which I will use this time. Good luck. 🙂

    • Posted

      Bad luck Michdonn, I believe 7 is in the danger zone when your adrenals start functioning again,,,,good luck with your next try.
    • Posted

      Thanks prisscilla23271, I am keeping a positive attitude and going slow. I will even go slower under 10 mg. Don't want to screw up my ski season. Smile on my face. 🙂

  • Posted

    A possible side effect of pred is skin rash.  Did you have skin problems before which went away while you were on your initial dose of pred?  Have you tried an antihistamine?

    I used to have itchy dry skin, although never a rash such as you describe, and after I started pred I had my first winter in many years where this was not a problem for me.  But reducing pred doesn't seem to have triggered a return of the symptom.

    • Posted

      Funnily enough Anhaga,any skin problems I have had in the past have been cured with Hydrocortisone, which is a steroid, so I thought it odd that I would get this while still on Pred.  I saw that rashes might be a side effect, but though I've been on it for a year this is the first time I've had this rash.  I've been overdoing the sugar lately which I am hopelessly addicted to, so I thought it might be that.  Just wondering if anyone else has had the same thing happen. 

      I haven't tried an antihistamine, that is a good idea.   

    • Posted

      I've used hydrocortisone ointment several times over the years, and what I found was that after discontinuing it the problem would come back worse than ever.  Eventually I learned to wean myself off it and, after trial and error,  simultaneously start replacing it with something else.  It seems that for my skin two things worked, one was a cream from the pharmacy which contained shea butter, and the other h*** oil.  Not so easy to find the magic bullet to replace pred!  However I feel this experience gave me a very good understanding exactly what is meant by a slow taper from pred and also the belief that after the inflammation is dealt with we must introduce something else to maintain true health.

  • Posted

    It sounds as if it may be an allergy that has been managed at the higher doses. Have you changed anything recently? Washing detergent, conditioner and so on - or have the manufacturers done a "new, improved..." which usually spells trouble for me?

    I developed an allergy to wheat starch as part of PMR - no problems at higher doses and I could eat wheat, down to lower doses and it returned.Things have to be worth itching for to eat - like the flammkuechen the other night at dinner at the conference! I'll probably know about it in a week or two!!!!

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