Different tapering method

[gtate1914]

Has anyone heard of this way to taper? Three days at a dose then go down by 1mg? At higher doses, don't think it would work at low doses! My rheumy wants me to do this. Makes me a little nervous.

[piglette]

I am not sure I understand. Is he saying for example start on 20mg just for three days then go down to 19mg? How long do you stay on 19mg just three days before reducing 1mg or have I got it wrong?

[gtate1914 in reply to piglette]

I was at 45. So now for 3 days I take 44mg. Then 43mg for 3 days and so forth.

[piglette in reply to gtate1914]

I did understand after all! It is an interesting idea. I suppose you could try it. You can take quite big drops at higher doses so it may work quite well.

[gtate1914 in reply to piglette]

Tomorrow it will be 43mg for 3 days, then 42..... will let the forum know how it works. I'm a little nervous about it.

[Lee1945 in reply to gtate1914]

I was advised by rheumatologist to reduce by ONLY ONE mg per month to avoid a yo-yo effect

[gtate1914 in reply to Lee1945]

How did that work out for you? What was your dosage when you started and where are you now?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lee1945]

Depends on the dose you are at - only 1mg per month at over 30mg is a bit OTT.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Might work at the dose you are on now - it probably won't at low doses. And you may be the person whose body can't cope with continual changes. Only way to find out is to try...

[gtate1914 in reply to PMRpro]

I don't want to experiment, but feel like this is what I am doing. My previous way of reducing by 2.5 for a week then alternating a few days old dose/new dose seemed to be working.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to gtate1914]

Why on earth do they have to fix something that isn't broke?????????

[gtate1914 in reply to PMRpro]

Actually the taper amount works out almost exactly the same, just different way of doing it. But it makes me nervous nonetheless. I agree, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

[Blearyeyed in reply to gtate1914]

Doctors make me fume!

They seem to think it's fine to mess about with a perfectly good system just to experiment for their own research purposes and see if another one works.

Forget how it makes the patient feel , if your coping well, let's try new stuff on them!!!

Ask him if there is some sort of medically researched reason why he feels that the change is necessary as you feel you are doing well on the present tapering programme.

Even if he comes up with some 'wordy claptrap ' tell him you are actually happy with your present tapering system , you feel you are doing well on it and you want to continue the way you are doing it now . Then continue..

Say thank you but ... You may be willing to try his new system in the future , but at the moment you have decided to continue as you are doing as this is your choice.

Polite but giving them no room to manoeuvre , that's always my strategy now, it seems to work at the moment .

Hope it could work for you.

If you feel nervous and you are happy don't let them push you into being a ' test mouse'.

Take care

[Purplecrow in reply to gtate1914]

Yes! what you said!!

[Thomas45]

Does your rheumy have PMR. If she has personal knowledge of that system she may have a point.

[SnazzyD]

Why change something that works? It’s not as if you are not reducing so that should keep them happy. Whenever a Rheumy tried to change my own plan I smile sweetly and say that I have to reach a compromise between coping with a demanding domestic life (ie withdrawal symptoms), not flaring and Pred side effects. I’ve had various reactions but they have no grounds to stop me because so far I’m ok, apart from cataracts. What can they do? Report me to the Pred Police? It’s not nice to be labelled though.

[Purplecrow in reply to SnazzyD]

You are so right! Carry on!!