I think I need to increase my dose of Prednisone

[readingbooks]

I have slowly decreased my dose from 20 mgms a year ago but not quite by the slowest method and am struggling with symptoms. I am now at 6 mgms and have never asked my rheumatologist about increasing. I have not really felt comfortable since about 9/8 . See R again in December. If I do increase should I do it slowly or switch to the last dose that I think was helping and stay at that until I am sure . What do you think out there ?

[HeronNS]

Switch to the last dose you felt was helping. Maybe nine? I tried the other method (slow increase) last year and I think I ended up taking more pred in the end than if I'd just bitten the bullet and gone up enough in the beginning of the flare. One suggested way to handle this is to go up by 5 mg over the current dose, but as you are not that high an extra 5 mg is more than doubling what you are taking, and you describe discomfort, not return of fullblown symptoms it might be effective to try nine for a few days and see how it goes. I also suggest coming back down rather slowly so you don't overshoot your current best dose. Can you cut your tablets to come down by .5?

[readingbooks in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you. yes. I have both 5 and 1 mgm pills .

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If it were me I'd go back to the last dose I felt good at and then, once I was as good as I was then, would try to reduce again in smaller steps and slower and see what happens. If it doesn't work the first time wait a bit and try again - sometimes it takes a few goes but don't go back and try to reduce immediately, wait a month or two.

[SheffieldJane]

I think the latter readingbooks. The last dose you felt comfortable at and let things settle.