I've been conscious of the fact that I've needed to reduce my Ped prescription. Gone from 20mg to 3 mg in 18 months. This month I reduced to 3mg and today I feel absolutely rotten, the usual rubbish, pain at the back of the eyes, pain across the shoulders, nausea's and generally no energy at all, just want to lie down. I need some advice as to where I go from here in terms dosage. I was ok at 4mg. Do I go back to 4mg or do I have to start at the beginning at 20mg and taper back down.
Many thanks
Written by
Bobbury
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I’m still at 10mg (from 20mg 11 months ago) so know nothing of the LOW doses.
But from what I have gleaned through others experiences, I suspect a straight drop from 4mg to 3 mg is too big a drop. Lots of pill cutting goes on, to halves and quarters to achieve drops at this stage, or the long alternating doses/dsns reduction schedules so your body gets a chance to catch up.
I doubt you want or need to return to 20mg. I expect 4mg is where you were comfortable and is where you should be at this time. Maybe a day or two at 5mg to clear out any build up, but returning to 4 may be all you need.
If you mean this month as being in the last few days, it could be withdrawal from a big sudden drop of 25%, as has been said. It should pass in a few more days hopefully. I get similar withdrawal symptoms without the shoulder pain but I do feel generally achey. Could be a viral Illness?
The usual recommendation is to go back to the dose where you felt comfortable. I tend to increase by 5mg which is normally too much, but sorts me out, if that is OK after a few days it means I can reduce pretty quickly without slow tapering to where I am still OK.
You’ve had good advice, so I won’t reiterate what’s already been said, but at low doses you may be better in future if you reduce by only 0.5mg a time and/or use a slow taper as follows -
Your PMR is less than 2 years old (depending on how long before diagnosed) and that is the absolute minimum lifespan. In many cases it’s much longer, and average is around 4years, so there is no “need” to reduce your Pred relentlessly. Yes you want to be a the lowest dose that controls your inflammation, but no point whatsoever in going below it!
As I say, it’s easy to reduce when you’ve got surplus sloshing around, but much more difficult when you get to the critical level that you actually need. Plus at low doses 0.5mg really does make a difference, so slowly, slowly is the only way really.
At the level you’re at, the Pred has no negatives - but still has lots of pluses.
Join the clan, it’s not you, sometimes the site just goes into sleep mode! Think it might be when someone else is replying to same post at same time...or maybe not!
Try going straight back to 4mg and see how you get on. If that doesn't work, try a few days of about 7mg and then go back to 4mg. Only then can you see if it works.
You mostly don't need to back to the beginning - it is a mistake many GPs make though. Some top rheumies say add 5mg to the dose you flared at for a week and then go back to the dose you were last well on.
It depends why you flared - if it is just you overshot the right dose then it will be fairly easy to manage. If, however, the flare were due to an increase in activity of the underlying disease process you might need a higher dose to manage it. And that does happen.
However - are you sure this is a flare and not adrenal insufficiency?
And at these doses though you don't have to be in a rush to reduce further:
If you are so tired - a synacthen test would be an idea to make sure the adrenal glands are CAPABLE of producing cortisol again. Though even that doesn't mean they are doing so - and by now they should definitely topping up your pred dose.
You’ve reduced so fast. I am between 6-7 mgs after 2 years and struggling. I would try 4 mgs to see if it works but I suspect this is a flare and you may have to go higher to get relief. There is no way that the disease is gone in 18 months. Poor you. Let us know how you get on. Watch those eye symptoms, beware of enlarged arteries at the temples, bad headaches, visual disturbance, jaw pain when chewing just in case it’s GCA. I hope you don’t have to start again but see a doctor - in A&E if you suspect GCA. You sound quite ill.
Oh my goodness I am right there with you! I went down to 3 from 4 and wanted it to work so badly that I have been pushing through the pain and sore shoulders hoping to feel better but it isn’t happening, my Rheumy said I can alternate 3 one day then 4 for a couple of weeks then try to go down to 3 every day and see if that helps. I have just started that toggle so I am not sire yet
It doesn't matter HOW slowly you try to reduce at any stage - if the new dose is too low to manage the daily batch of inflammation you will flare sooner or later as the left-over inflammation build up.
Pain that appears after a reduction may be withdrawal (especially at these low doses where an overnight reduction can be 25% or 33% of the current dose) or it may be a flare. But withdrawal pain will improve slowly over 2 or 3 weeks at the new dose - flare type pain will INCREASE steadily. That's when you go back, because if you leave it you may get into real flare territory.
Often returning to the old dose and waiting a month or 6 weeks may be enough to allow the reduction to proceed. But if it happens at the same point 2 or 3 times that is your body sending you a message: "Not yet..."
Thanks for all the responses they have all been encouraging,. It's obvious now
that I tried to reduce too quickly. I suppose I did this because of a certain amount of pressure from the doctor to reduce. It certainly wont happen again, I'm going to reduce in my own time. Cant go through that again.....
When i reduced dowm to 3mg. Dr told me to take 4mg one day them 3mg. Dp that for 2 weeks. Then reduce to 3.5 one day and 3mg next day for 2 weels. Then in 5th week just 3mg. Seem ok but only just got there. Any stress or bad pain that doesnt go i have to go back to 4mg for a month then start reducing process again. Hope that helps.
Thanks for that.....I've decided to go back to 5mg for a few days and then reduce to 4mg and leave it at that for a month, it's so fickle this problem. But now I know what to do I'm quite reasonably happy. It wont happen again though, cant go through the aggro!
Same boat, different dose..I'm having a hard time getting to twelve from 20...really felt out of it the last three days..not big time pain but a real strange feeling of being out of it....friggin' prednisone...or is it the PMR?..the battle goes on...
Know how you feel - but I just (rather reluctantly I must admit) increased my dose from 15mg up to 17.5mg and yet feel MUCH better ! Thing is as I was reminded y DL recently -in the bigger scheme of things it won't make a massive difference if you need a bit more for a while longer - it's just that we are encouraged (wishfully) to think the relentless even 'slow' taper will do the trick - but that is only if the disease progression/decline 'permits' ...
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
DSNS didn't work for me
If I Only Had a Brain 
Bad Flare when I thought it was over
I thought I was out of the woods at 7 mg prednisone
I really have had enough!
