Tapering prednisolone

[Dimplevegus]

I have been trying to get down prednisolone 10mg for years. It seems to get harder no matter how slow I take it. I now get a stuffy heavy sometimes painful headache. Sound like I have a cold. I have an undiagnosed autoimmune disease ? Vasculitis? Undiffderentated connective tissue disease. Does anyone else have this problem?

[SheffieldJane]

The people on this site have GCA or PMR. Not sure if this is the best place for advice on your conditions. We certainly share the same drug but only really know how it behaves with PMR etc. Try googling a bit more maybe.

[Dimplevegus in reply to SheffieldJane]

I was just trying to see if anyone has any tips to get off it

[Hidden]

Hi,

I suspect the issue here is a lack of definitive diagnosis.

Vasculitis and undifferentiated connective tissue disease isn't treated with prednisolone alone. The failure to get off pred could mean that the underlying disease is still active.

Where in the UK are you and do you see a Rheumatologist?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If there is a possibility of UCTD you might do well over on the LupusUk forum here

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk

as there are quite a few with that as a diagnosis - it just means it isn't showing enough points to be assigned to any particular one but is showing signs of beign one of them.

But as Keyes says - you need to see a doctor who will be a bit more proactive about managing it, Pred is used at times for lots of things but most things would respond better to other things.

You don't say how long you have been on pred or how slowly you have tried to reduce. The longer you have been on pred the harder it becomes because once you get below about 10mg or just below your body has to start producing its natural corticosteroid, cortisol, again. Then you often need to reduce VERY slowly - some people can't manage more than 1/2mg at a time whereas a lot of doctors try to do much bigger steps.