Prednisone and tapering off...

[karilynn85]

Hi all - I have been on 20mg of prednisone daily for a little over two months. In this time, I have had the typical side effects: insomnia, hunger, weight gain, moodiness, anxiety, etc. Of course my RA is 99% gone on prednisone. My personality feels completely shifted and lately I have been suffering from unbearable anxiety and OCD - something that hasn't been a problem for me in over ten years. I can only attribute it to the prednisone.

I saw my rheumy yesterday and she agreed it's time to taper off, so today I started at 17.5 mg, will do that for a week, then go to 15, etc. I realize it'll take some time, but does anybody know of a timeline for when I can expect to feel normal mentally again? My rheumy prescribed me on anti-anxiety medication and I am not thrilled about that. I'd rather just see if tapering off makes a difference, but I don't know how long it will take. I've heard that mental side effects of prednisone can be permanent, so now I am really scared.

If anybody has any good experience with prednisone and mental health, I would greatly appreciate it. I feel like I am losing my mind on this drug and I just want my mental health back.

[ER19]

Hi I was on 30mg for 2 months and also had anxiety for no reason. I am now down to 10mg and the anxiety has gone. It does get better.

[karilynn85 in reply to ER19]

Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better.

[Bookworm55]

I was on 40mg for a while last Feb/ March and then tapered off slowly until stopped by October. Doesn't seem to have had any lasting side effects at all.

[farm123]

You may find as you go lower the effect will decrease and may find a level whilst still on pred that you are comfortable with. If you do I would note that dose level in case of needing something again in the future.

20mg makes me feel bad (not sleeping and feeling similar to a bad PMT mood) but I can cope with 15mg. I have mainly had short courses as in 20mg for 5 days than 15 then 10 and 5 and stop but coming off the last 5 is not good and the last time I had some 1mg and come down to 2mg for a couple of days then 1mg for another couple before stopping.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Karilynn. Easy question, not such an easy answer. It can somewhat depend on your metabolism, age, body mass but as a general rule after a short course about a day after your last taper dose is taken it should be clear of your system relatively quickly, hours rather than days, but it could be around 2 to 3 weeks before you start to be feeling 'back to normal'. Please don't be tempted to veer away from you taper plan in an attempt to get there though because your body needs this time for your adrenal glands to restart cortisol production, once you get to 7.5mg & below they should slowly be kicking in.

[Joy_1]

Hi

I was on 20mg due to a flare at the end of Nov last year. I did not experience anxiety but I became very short tempered. When I got to 10mg the old me returned.

Good luck with the tapering.

[andyswarbs]

I have heard reports that tapering prednisone can lead to emotional challenges as you reach the last dregs. So I'd leave yourself space and time towards the end and take things easy.