Posted , 10 users are following.
I thought it was around 7 mgs, or is it different for everyone? I'm down to 3mgs of Pred. Sometimes I take 4mgs. I don't feel as if mine are in a hurry to come out of hibernation.
0 likes, 13 replies
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linfran
Posted
hoping you can help with my question.
Thanks.
Silver49 linfran
Posted
I think it varies a bit with everyone. I am down at2.5 and I'm fairly sure they have kicked in as I don't feel fatigued now. There was a time when I felt so exhausted as I reduced that I wondered if they were still in 'hibernation '. I'm sure Eileen will give you information. It will probably be morning as she is ahead of British time so later with her.
Anhaga linfran
Posted
If they haven't started working when you are down to about 5 mg you will definitely know it. I think fatigue is common and to be expected, but any other symptoms, or a fatigue that gets worse and unrelenting, you need to be checked. You can google symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. but if you are still above 7 or 8 mg you are probably still getting enough pred to mask any adrenal insufficiency.
Anhaga
Posted
I've been feeling tired since I got to 7 mg, and it seemed to come on quite suddenly. I'm now at 1.5 and things are getting, somewhat sporadically, better. I have no other symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, so I think it's just a question of time.
Michdonn linfran
Posted
Hi linfran, why do you think your
adrenal glands are in hibernation,
because you have fatigue or PMR
pain? There is a test to see if they
are working, ACTH Stimulation
Test. Hope that helps you! 🙂
rachel24455 Michdonn
Posted
Help! I'm down to 7mg and am in such 'PMR' pain that I've had to take 2 X 5mg this morning. I presumed it was the inflammation, but is it possibly the adrenals having to wake up?
luckily I seem to have gotten over the ghastly fatigue which floored me in the beginning (hoping it was a side affect of the initial high steroid dose?)
EileenH Michdonn
Posted
The synacthen test doesn't show if they ARE working properly - it shows if the adrenal glands are CAPABLE of producing cortisol when stimulated. That is a very different thing altogether.
Your car doesn't start - so you check your battery and it is fine, fully charged. That doesn't mean your car will start if the fault is somewhere else - like dirty plugs or a blockage ina fuel pipe.
EileenH rachel24455
Posted
If you have "PMR pain" that is nothing to do with your adrenal glands - it is a sign you have reduced below what you were looking for: the lowest dose that manages the symptoms as well as the starting dose did. You aren't reducing relentlessly to zero - don't forget that.
rachel24455 EileenH
Posted
Thank you - I noticed yesterday that I couldn't get my arms above shoulder height, and slept very badly last night again.
today I've taken 10mg but can I go back to 7.5mg tomorrow, which is where I was comfortable? (I can't believe the difference .5mg has made?)
EileenH rachel24455
Posted
rachel24455 EileenH
Posted
Thanks again, and for the reminder that it's not a race to zero. The side affects are so potentially frightening that I forget myself.
back to 10,9,8,7.5 then
EileenH rachel24455
Posted
EileenH linfran
Posted
"I don't feel as if mine are in a hurry to come out of hibernation."
On what grounds? If you have reached 3 or 4mg and are functioning then they are contributing to the amount of steroid in your body. It isn't a sudden event - they have to produce a top-up amount which increases as the dose of artificial steroid falls. If they aren't - you would be getting more and more tired and probably develop other symptoms.