I have started my mtx injections today I have been on steroids for a year and desperately want to come off them as I have a moon face and have put on so much weight it’s really getting me down . I’ve heard it takes around 8 weeks before the mtx starts taking effect..
how long does it take to come off the steroids as I’ve read you can’t just stop as it’s dangerous..
very grateful for any advice as I’m a newby
Coming off steroids is a slow process as you’ll need to taper. You don’t say what dose you’re on and that would make a difference to the timescale but you still can’t just stop them because of the possibility of adrenal insufficiency. Your rheumatologist should be the only one to tell you what and how so please don’t be tempted to go faster than they tell you as you may get rebound flares and run into trouble.
I’ve been on prednisolone for 33 years and will never get off it but a year isn’t a long time so be patient and stay well while you take it slow and steady!
Hi Nancy, It’s all so individual re steroid taper so I wound (and did!) follow exactly what the rheumy said to do even if it’s a very long taper. Mine was over many months (10 months) but the good thing was once I’d got down to 5mgs daily my moon face totally went! The midriff took longer.🤨 A lot of regular exercise needed. It will happen for you and you will get there re steroid taper and Mtx is a superb med for RA for so many. Good luck.
Thankyou for your reply.. I know it’s going to be a slow process I just want the old me back .. it’s so depressing.. nobody warned me about the effects of these steroids.. bit Im in a lot of pain if I don’t take them .. vicious circle..
If in any doubt re dose or taper and you can’t speak to your GP or Rheumy soon enough, then phone the pharmacist for reassurance. As Amnesiac says it’s never right to tinker ourselves with the taper. I tried to keep myself occupied with programmes on iplayer on my iPad in bed and a pile of mags and iplayer radio/podcasts and I drew a lot in my sketchbook and anything I had the interest for, but mostly I slept. Radio programmes/Podcasts were nice to drift off to. It will get better I assure you and soon you’ll feel the effects of Mtx in your joints and know it’s doing something for you. So hard when you’re there right in the midst of it it and it seems an eternity you’ll be waiting and you think you’ll always be like this but you won’t! Hang in there and it will happen. 💗
Coming off steroids can depend on the dose. I had very high dose for an AKI for about a year and it took many months but its better to take it slowly as going too fast can be very nasty and you'll probably be given strict instructions on coming down slowly. I did it twice to go from 150mcg to Zero over a year. Not easy at all and so do take heart from the fact that in life a year is not long and it be worth it in the end. Don't worry about the moon face, rough skin and hair issues they all go. Give yourself time and try not to take it too fast despite wanting to recover quickly if like me you do it twice then it takes longer. I thought it would be easy and it wasn't.
Steroids
Steroids
Steroids 
Steroids
