Reducing prednisone

[Zeddly]

I was diagnosed with PMR about a year ago, was on prednisone and then reduced off, of course the PMR symptoms came back. Started on 18mg again, I have gone down to 14mg, doctor wants me to reduce off quite quickly. Looking at the posts here, it doesn't sound like a good idea and I am not being pushed to do it quickly this time. I did see a post from PMRpro with an article to take to the doctor explaining why a fast reduction is not a good idea. Can anyone help with that? Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think some where in this one they say that reducing at more than 1mg per month is a risk factor for a flare - or words to that effect.

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

Certainly - the lower you get the more carefully you have to go. It sounds as if your doctor doesn't understand pMR and pred - you start on a dose that is high enough for everybody and then reduce carefully - tapering rather than reducing, there is a difference - to find the lowest dose that gives the same result as the starting dose did. Obviously the lower you get, the nearer you are to that dose so it doesn't pay to rush.

Also - the median duration of PMR is 5.9 years and fewer than 20% get off pred in 2 years or less. So after a year - you aren't anywhere near that yet! No hurry!

practicalpainmanagement.com...

And anecdotal empirical results from the members of the forums (i.e. the people who reduce at the dead slow rate) show that the tortoise won the race! If you rush the patient off and they have a flare, you have to take them back to a much higher dose - wasting all that perceived benefit from lowering the dose quickly!

[Qubbie]

I tried to follow my Dr orders to reduce my prednisone but I am staying with my higher dosage because of pain