When course of Prednisolone ends.

[Chezza56]

I had a letter from the Rhumatoid Department saying if on 20mg of the above and imraldi it adds up to 3 points so should shield. Prednisolone finishes next Monday. Does anyone know if you then go down to the advice for being on 2 points ? I dont like to bother the Rhumatoid Department as I can imagine how busy they are. Stay safe everyone. Ive also just been diagnosed with asthma Xx

[allanah]

The steroid stays in your system I believe for a few weeks , that is why you can only have so many courses of it. Personally without being a trained doctor i would still shield ..

Hope others can help too x

[Hidden]

allanah is right

[AgedCrone]

The flow charts say “in the last 6 months”, Your pharmacist will know the answer. So do check .... especially as you have just been diagnosed with asthma!

Welcome to the Shieldettes!

[Mmrr in reply to AgedCrone]

I like that the shieldettes ...

[AgedCrone in reply to Mmrr]

So much more elegant than Shielders!

[Whezziewhoozie in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi which flow chart says in the last 6 months? I can’t see it on BSR, NRAS or the versus arthritis?

[Lolabridge]

I’m concerned if you are just going to stop taking Prednisolone altogether having been on 20mg. It’s usual to have to taper; reduce dosage slowly over a period of time.

Please take advice from your Rheumy or GP and continue to shield unless they tell you otherwise.

[allanah in reply to Lolabridge]

Yes I hope you meant you dropped from 20 to say 18 to say 15 ..etc whatever the instructions were. You cant stop from 20 completely xx

[Lyndy]

Bad luck on the asthma... looks like I have just got it too! As others have said, don’t go from 20mg pred to zero overnight please!

As for bothering rheumatology...that’s what they are there for... I am sure they would rather you asked than risked it xx

[Mmrr]

As others have said, you should not just stop 20mgs of prednisilone suddenly, you will need to taper down, if your rheumatology department has not given you advice I think it prudent that you call them. At least contact your GP if you cannot access rheumatology.

[medway-lady]

I think it will be hard to cold turkey from 20MG if you've been on it for a while. I'd take advice from your GP and shiedittes is a good term.

[Fruitandnutcase]

When I took prednisone I took it over three months and started reducing it almost right away until by the time I stopped I was taking hardly anything at all. Unfortunately I can’t remember how little it was.

I had a card that I carried with me and I wrote the reductions in that so that I knew exactly how much I was supposed to be taking each week.

I’m sure it said something on the card about carrying it and making people aware that I had been taking steroids for a certain length of time after stopping.

I discovered I should have been given the steroid card at the public chemist in the hospital when the steroids were dispensed but I wasn’t and ended up going to a different branch who I eventually persuaded to give me the card, they weren’t keen to give it to me for some reason.

I imagine your local pharmacy could advise you but to be honest it would probably be easier to phone the hospital - at our local chemists they let two people in at a time then (and I definitely don’t blame them) you stand six feet away from someone in a mask and gloves who stands behind a perspex screen - not easy to have an in depth discussion so I’d ring the department.

Should add I’ve had it in the past where I’ve had a reasonable dose but only for a week, first time was in case I had temporal arthritis and the doctor prescribed prednisone while she waited for blood test results. When they were ok she said to stop the steroids and when I asked about stopping suddenly she said it would be ok as I had only taken them for a few days - but the three months for inflammatory arthritis was totally different.

[springcross in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I had the little blue card too.

[Hidden]

You could check with your pharmacist, I'm sure they should know.

[springcross]

I agree with all on here who say don't just stop - you must taper off, my Rheumy doctor told me that. How long were you taking them for?

[Chezza56]

Sorry, one of those head in the shed days yesterday. I ve been on this course for 6 weeks and tapered down from 30mgs to now 5mg till next Monday when they end. Have been on them off and on since last December as changing from Enbrel to Imraldi took a long time and was in agony. Thanks for All your advice. Will give the rhumatoid advice line a ring. Keep Safe everyone Xxx

[allanah in reply to Chezza56]

You too xxxx

[Chezza56]

Thankyou All Xx