Tapering - pain coming back

[Slosh]

A bit worried and need advice please kind peeps.

6 weeks on 20mg Pred - taper down by 2.5mg per week (on Monday) till 10 then 1mg per month.

Some of you may remember that last week on 15 I was a bit worried that symptoms were coming back but persevered and by Friday night felt fine.

So the question is - do I persevere or go up again (from 12.5 to 15). Is it just steroid withdrawal? My Rheumy is away in Australia at present.

Thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Do you mean you have pain after going from 15 to 12.5mg? I'm sure I must have said 2.5mg a WEEK is too fast in PMR. It will work for other things. However - since you are there, if the discomfort doesn't improve by tomorrow as it did last week, go back to at least 14mg, let the symptoms settle and do it 1mg at a time.

[Slosh in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRpro - yes you did say that 2.5 per week was too fast.

I don't have any 1mg tabs. Do you think I can cut a 2.5 - so essentially will be taking 13.75 ish - although they are the enteric coated ones.

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Slosh]

No - you can't cut the enteric coated ones. Or at least, you shouldn't - and I suspect it might be difficult!

In that case, at least try a week of alternating 15 and 12.5mg before going to all 12.5mg. But I think DL's idea of asking the GP isn't bad at all. You CAN now get 1mg enteric coated

medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

but there is no real reason not to use the ordinary ones.

[Slosh in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you - so much. I know I've said this before but I'm not sure I would have managed without this group, your knowledge, experience and kindness.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Sure PMRpro will say same - you cannot cut coated tablets.

So would suggest you alternate days between 15mg and 12.5mg. But I would definitely do that for 2 weeks rather than just one.

Or better still, as Rheumy is away, ask your GP for 1mg tablets.

[Slosh in reply to DorsetLady]

Ok - thanks Dorsetlady - will do.

[1brian]

Hi, fyi, I have been on prednisilone for about 4.5 weeks. I have tapered down from 15 to 2.5. At 15 I was 80% better and now say 60%. So I can still function reasonably well - I can walk normally unlike before when I was on a 'go slow' and I don't hardly seize up when sitting or in bed. However as I have reached a level where I am a bit worse I am tending to stick at this for a while.

[Slosh in reply to 1brian]

Oh wow 1brian - did you go from 15 to 2.5 in 4 and a half weeks?

[1brian]

Yes, I couldn't see why I shouldn't test out how few I could take and still be reasonably ok. It may be early days so who knows what will happen?!