Prednisolone

[Shiv2019]

I had severe joint pain and was told I had arthritis but my new doctor said it is not arthritis but just joint pain. The problem is my old doctor put me on 10mg of prednisolone which I have been on for about 4 years but now I want to reduce it, when I asked my doctor he said to stop taking it which I have tried in the past with bad effects but need advice on how to reduce. Any help would be great?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Just to clarify a couple of things -

Have you been on 10mg for the whole 4 years, or have you tried reducing sensibly during that time;

Do you have a diagnosis of PMR ?

Once you been on steroids for any length of time, you cannot just stop it - it could lead to adrenal crisis. Did your new GP not explain that?

Most of the recommend tapers for say PMR, are 1mg per month, but not everybody can achieve that, and find that 0.5mg is all they can manage - but that’s because the PMR is still active.

You could also try a slow taper rather than dropping from old dose to new overnight - that helps with the withdrawal symptoms. This is just one example -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[piglette]

Did the pred help your joint pains? Hasn’t a doctor mentioned anything to you about reducing the pred in four years?

[Soraya_PMR]

“Just joint pain”

I’ve got 2 problems with that...

1. Joint pain doesn’t JUST happen, there has to be an explanation/ reason/cause/injury/ diagnosis/disease process. You don’t simply wake up with joint pain one day and think ‘oh that’s ok it’s just joint pain’ 🤔

2. Ok so it may not be arthritis but the pain is still valid and should not be dismissed as just.... anything.

If your doctor told you to stop taking pred after continuous use at 10mg for 4 years, then you should either walk immediately to an alternative doctor OR report this doctor for potentially life threatening advice! Either discuss with the senior partner if there is one or the practise manager. You absolutely cannot simply stop pred without weaning off of it and allowing your own brain/glands/cortisol production to resume.

[Maggiemudshark in reply to Soraya_PMR]

I agree that just stopping 10 mgs all at once is putting yourself at risk especially after 4 yrs. Your Dr. does not understand Prednisone very well. I suggest finding another Dr. and in the meantime if you must reduce do it slowly and certainly not all at once. I am at 6 mgs after being diagnosed with PMR a year and a half ago when I started at 40mgs. I am now reducing to 5.5 mgs at a very slow rate using the DSNS method suggested to me by this group. It is working for me. I highly recommend this process of weaning off of Prednisone.

[Nuff1]

"just joint pain" is not a valid diagnosis!

"Joint pain" is a symptom.

Something is causing this symptom and investigation should be carried out - as pointed out in other replies ask another GP.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Try 1mg a month - no faster.

But really - time for a doctor who treats patients not sound bites. "Just joint pain" my foot - nothing comes from nothing ...

[DevonMichael]

I agree with the many expert views already expressed on this site. There has to be a tapering plan, it dangerous to go cold turkey after prolonged use. Hence the recommendation to carry a steroid record card on one's person, to alert others that the drug is in use.

My own experience, It took me over a year to get from 10mg to zero. I have now, been almost two months at zero but it comes at a price of low energy and some tiredness and stiffness. Prednisolone certainly is powerful on the body.