Has anyone stopped prednisone cold turkey refusing to return and if so what happened?

[skipspmr]

I'm wondering what the consequences would be of stopping prednisone cold turkey and living with whatever the consequences are. Anyone know of anyone that did that?

[GOOD_GRIEF]

Well, one of the consequences could be death.

Cortisol is essential to the process of living, and if your adrenal glands are not functioning - which they probably aren't if you've been on pred for more than a few days - or are on a dose that's higher then 5mg - adrenal insufficiency can be deadly. And it could occur within hours.

This is a dangerous idea.

Don't try it.

[skipspmr in reply to GOOD_GRIEF]

and if one has been at 5 mg for 4 months?

[GOOD_GRIEF in reply to skipspmr]

I'm not a medic, but after doing a lot of reading, I think you're going to have to walk down the hill rather than jump off the cliff.

If your adrenals aren't producing the cortisol you need to sustain bodily functions, you're going to be really sick and possibly go into a crisis from which there is no recovery. It's just not sensible.

What's the rush?

Try going down .5mg for a couple of weeks. If that works, drop again for a couple of weeks. Or try one of the DSNS plans available on the site (use the search function). If PMR symptoms return, or your start feeling unwell (nauseous, dizzy, breathless), go back up and call your doctor.

The trick is to tease the adrenals into taking over for the pills. They're either going to wake up and start doing the job on their own, or they're not. And the only ways to find out safely is to go slow in a controlled reduction, or check into a hospital where they'll take you off pred, test your adrenal function, and intervene in any emergency.

[iforget]

It is very much an individual thing and the consequences will depend on what dose and how long you've been taking it.

I had a friend who was put on 30mg and after two weeks decided it was not the route she wanted to take and she stopped taking it. She was fine. At the other end of the spectrum a colleague was taking pred for a little over two years on a reducing dose but getting nowhere fast and decided she had had enough and just stopped it...ended up in ICU for four days when her body went completely haywire. Her docs and her family went absolutely nuts at her for being so reckless.

[piglette in reply to iforget]

You can get away with just stopping if you have only been taking pred for a week or two as the adrenal glands have not had time to go to sleep. After that you need to taper.

[Hidden in reply to iforget]

A short course of 30mg for a week is common for Asthmatics who are unwell ie a Chest Infection & can stop after a week with no issues but once you’re on them for over three weeks it’s a different story........

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

You are likely to be very ill!

If you’ve been on a dose higher than approx 7.5mg for around 3 weeks or more your own adrenal glands will have stopped working, so you are likely to have adrenal insufficiency.

Not advised - see this mayoclinic.org/prednisone-w...

[piglette]

DON’T DO IT! The results are ICU or even death. You are on 5mg now so just slowly taper down. Why on earth do you want to suddenly stop?

[SheffieldJane]

I can empathise with the sentiment but we can’t . At the very least there would be pain and illness at the very worst you could be plunged into an Adrenal crisis. Discuss your concerns with your doctor he/ she will be able to guide you in the fastest, safest method.

You are in the right place to throw yourself against the bars of your cage here though. Chin up buttercup. X

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Depends on how long you have been on pred - and in the early days what dose it is.

You can be risking your life if it was too long or too high for a shorter time. Your adrenal glands go into hibernation. While you are taking pred that is not so important, the pred acts as a replacement therapy instead of the cortisol your body requires to function. Without one or the other you are at risk of developing an adrenal crisis. Which can be life-threatening if not identified and treated in a timely manner.

[teesher]

Don't do it.

[Yellowbluebell]

Why would you want to risk your life just to get off the pred. Yes it’s got side effects but as you can see on this forum from people who have had pmr for years there is nothing else that’s works to beat this disease.

[Hidden]

No, l don’t think anyone has & it would be considered reckless, read some of the posts of people (including myself) who’ve overlooked taking the dose one morning & suffered the consequences!...

A slow reduction is the only way I’m afraid.

MrsN

[Longtimer]

I went to the hospital 2 weeks ago and in conversation the doctor said, "you know you must never just stop Pred don`t you"...it would put you in an adrenal crisis...which can be fatal.....

[patriciawhite]

Hmmmm nope ,reduce ,whats the hurry ,I would be a shock to the system I think to just stop .I am not in any way medically trained but You can reduce and that would be the safest option .

[Grants148]

I am in trouble when l just lower the dose sometimes,would certainly not want to try leaving them off altogether,much as l would like to !

[Hidden]

😱 I think the world as we know it comes to an end...

[markbenjamin57]

Sorry to disappoint you skips, as I'm sure some of Us Lot have considered doing the same (me included). But as others here say, going cold turkey with Preds can be very dangerous: and I'm sure no GP or medic would advise it either, unless there were exceptional medical reasons for doing so.

[karools16]

Last year, after 13 years with GCA and down to 2mg Pred, I was feeling fine, NO fatigue, NO feelings of any illness, I was sent for a Synacthen TEST which showed Addison's Disease. The lowest I can taper to is 5mg Pred, per the Endo. I will be on Pred for life. So what? At present I am on 7mg, tapering on DL taper plan (last year, I successfully, tapered from 8 to 7 mg, doing PMRpro taper plan).Believe me, the 'add-ons', which came along after GCA diagnosis, are worse than wanting to be off Pred.Thank goodness for them! The Pred that is.