Pred . reduction.

[Valentina1]

Good afternoon all

Any advice I wonder if there is any other way than the one set for me by my GP to reduce. I managed 60mgs to 20mgs over 3 and a half months I am now on a regime of 3 one day 4 the next. Next week I go down to 3 a day for 2 weeks then bloods and GP. On the latter the four a day I am fit for nothing My mobility my memory and my clumsy movements its as if I am drunk affect me very much. I live on my own and at nearly 82 its difficult.

Any ideas?

The sun is shining its a lovely day .

[Valentina1]

better for sharing.

[Hidden]

Hi Valentina..when you were diagnosed? I was trying to work out if you meant 3mg/4mg regime or 3 pills/4pills- especially as you mention 20mgs. If you are worse on the 4, perhaps 3 would suit more. It's very disconcerting when you feel like a drunken sailor. It's a lovely day here too. 🌻

[suzy1959]

Are you still on 20mgs? Does that mean you are on 3x5mgs alternating with 4x5mgs? That is quite a large difference between days and it sounds as if you are getting withdrawal symptoms every other day! I often wonder why doctors are so keen for us to alternate which could be very confusing for our poor bodies!

If you look on "related posts" at the top of this page, you will find a lot has been written about pred. reduction, so look at these posts and come back to us with any questions that emerge. You can also look under Topics and will see that there are 255 entries for "Tapering steroids".

There are many different ways to reduce, so you don't have to do it this way as it sounds very difficult. It is still very early days for you and rushing to reduce is usually counter-productive.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Do you mean 3 TABLETS or 3mg? If it is tablets then you are alternating very different doses and your poor body won't know what it is doing. Especially if you are changing the dose every few weeks. Pred comes in 1, 2.5 and 5mg tablets and your doctor needs to provide you with at least a large stock of 1mg ones so you can reduce 1mg at a time and have the same dose every day.

This is one version of a slower reduction approach:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

I'm assuming you were diagnosed with GCA to have started at 60mg - and if so that is an extremely speedy reduction. Most real experts would take 5 months to get from 60 to 20 with a month at each intermediate dose. You haven't had a chance to stabilise anywhere - and studies show that the underlying cause of GCA is still active after 6 months on doses above 20mg. GCA affects the arteries in the head - and could well be causing the symptoms you describe.

[Hidden]

Hi Valentina

Can you confirm the dose not just the numbers, then we can advise further.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[Soraya_PMR]

From what you say I’m presuming you are taking 3x5mg=15 on one day and 4x5mg=20 the next day.

I think your body would be extremely grateful to be on a steady 17.5mg daily. (Which equals the same dose) Ask your doc for some 2.5mg tablets, and give your body some stability! No wonder you feel awful, your body doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going. I do wish doctors would think sometimes. At nearly 82 I’m quite sure it’s difficult, my 58 year old body couldn’t cope with daily 5mg changes of dose 😮

[Valentina1]

Thank you. You are so right. Doc seems reluctant to give me smaller dose tabs its the same for my warfarin I have to cut them in half. It took 10 days to get an appointment last time so I think I will ring today and ask for 1mg tabs.