Please can PMRpro post steroid reduction pattern again.?? Thanks.S.

[soojay]

[polkadotcom]

It's

1st week - old old old new old old old

2nd week - old new old old new old old

3rd week - old new old new old new old

4th week - old new new old new new old

5th week - new new old new old new new

6th week - new new new old new new new.

7th week - all new dose.

Whether you are reducing by 0.5mg or by 1mg is your own decision, but the half mg drops work better once you are under 10mg a day.

Hope this helps.

[ritter in reply to polkadotcom]

thank you polkadotcom,I will use this reduction have just gone on to 12.5 yesterday at the moment am OK but i have been doing 3 weeks instead of 2weeks seems alright but will have this to fall back on thank you Anne ritter happy new year to all .pain free i hope.

[Hidden in reply to polkadotcom]

Hi polka,

Sorry to sound so flippant, but I wonder if I'm the only one who's said this reduction plan fast, out loud. It reduced me to laughter, with tears rolling down my face.

Love you! Have a happy new year.

Pats.

[polkadotcom in reply to Hidden]

Ooh, I like a bit of flippancy - I'll try it out in a minute!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Sorry Soojay - what steroid reduction pattern do you mean? The overall one of 6 weeks at 15mg, 6 weeks at 12.5mg, a year at 10mg etc or the way I reduce 1mg at a time over several weeks?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to PMRpro]

My version of polkadot's is to take the new dose for one day then the old dose for 6 days, followed by

new dose for one day, old dose 5 days (e.g. 5mg for 1 day, 6mg for 5)

new dose one day, old dose 4 days

new dose one day, old dose 3 days

new dose one day, old dose 2 days

new dose one day, old dose 1 day (e.g. 5mg for 1 day, 6mg for 1 day

This takes you to an effective reduction of 0.5mg.

Then it is old dose 1 day, new dose 2 days (6mg for 1 day, 5mg for 2 days)

old dose 1 day, new dose 3 days (e.g. 6mg 1 day, 5mg for 3 days)

old dose 1 day, new dose 4 days

old dose 1 day, new dose 5 days

old dose 1 day, new dose 6 days

By that stage I feel taking the new lower dose every day is fine. I have found reductions VERY difficult and that is why I do it so slowly. If you are not so sensitive starting with new dose 1 day, old dose 4 days is probably perfectly OK.

Polkadot's is much the same - either way a calendar is useful!!!

I know it sounds slow but I haven't failed yet, getting from 10 down to 6 which I haven't ever managed before despite several attempts.

[soojay in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks to all for good advice,as usual!!soo.xx

[jinasc in reply to soojay]

Reduction Plan - recommended current thinking is no more than 10% at a time.

Once down to 10mg, many people have difficulty in reducing, there can be reasons for this:

1)withdrawal symptoms

2)you are not ready to take a drop

3) the drop you are trying to take is more than 10%

If you start your reduction on the 1st of the month it is easy to work out where you are.

The following is a way that can help you achieve the next steps.

Day 1 10mg

Day 2 9mg

Day 3 10mg

Day 4 9mg

Day 5 9mg

Day 6 10mg

Day 7 9mg

Day 8 9mg

Day 9 9mg

Day 10 10mg

Day 11 9mg

Day 12 9mg

Day 13 9mg

Day 14 9mg

Day 15 10mg

Day 16 9mg

Day 17 9mg

Day 18 9mg

Day 19 9mg

Day 20 9mg

Day 21 10mg

Day 22 9mg

Day 23 9mg

Day 24 9mg

Day 25 9mg

Day 26 9mg

Day 27 9mg

Day 28 10mg

Day 29 onwards 9mg

If at anytime the pain increases, wait two or three days, if it is still there then the drop is to soon, go back to 10mg, wait a couple of weeks and try again. If after waiting the two or three days it subsides then it was probably withdrawal symptoms.

Once stable on 9mg wait two or three weeks and then try to take the drop down to 8mg following the same pattern.

Once you have got to 5mg, then the drop is 0.5mg at a time. So you need a pill cutter to split the 1mg tablet in two. Using the same pattern but this time wait at least 1 month before attempting the next drop.

[soojay in reply to jinasc]

Thanks Sambucca,...its all a trial isn't it?Heh ho ,ever onward.What lovely people we have on this site.G d bless us all Soo.xx