Reduction in pred 10mg to 9.5mg

[Rosina1871]

Hi

I’ve had four days on 9.5 now. Doc said I could reduce to 9mg but I’m doing a slower taper. I don’t have any increase in pain but I’m very “weary” . Can I assume this is the norm? Thanks

[Soraya_PMR]

I found that I’d sleep a lot more in the week following a decrease. Hopefully your ‘energy’ (And I use that term loosely!) will pick up again over the next week, and if this reduction is successful you should feel about equal to how you did before reduction.

(Now days I’m tired ALL the time, just failed again at 5).

[Rosina1871 in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Thanks soraya. I thought that would be the reason. I’m just more fatigued than tired. Sorry you failed at 5. So frustrating. Best of luck

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Rosina1871]

Yes fatigued is probably a better word. But I’d rest to watch a film and fall asleep in the middle.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi

I found when I did an “overnight” reduction I felt a bit washed out and irritable for a few days. For me it only lasted 3 or 4 days until

my body got used to lower dose. That’s why the slower tapers were devised - might be wise to try that in future. see link -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Although 0.5mg doesn’t sound much, it can be for some people.

Hopefully it’s just steroid withdrawal, but if it goes on for many more days you may to consider going back up to 10mg for another week or so - and then try again.

[Rosina1871 in reply to DorsetLady]

Many thanks for your advice

[SnazzyD]

I find even with 0.5mg drops at this level I still feel wiped. Depending on how much one is actually absorbing, this starts to get into the area of the adrenal system needing to take up the slack but it doesn’t think it needs to yet. I’ve found below 10mg the drops take longer to get over.

[Rosina1871 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks Snazzy. At least now I know what to expect.

[Yellowbluebell]

I am just about to start my taper from 10 to 9.5 so will be watching out for the "weariness".

[Rosina1871 in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Keep me informed so we can compare notes 😊

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Rosina1871]

Will do.x I start tomorrow as had youngests wedding a month ago and then a house move last Monday.

[Rosina1871 in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Good luck x

[Marijo1951]

I've just gone from 8 to 7.5 mg and I'm more or less sofa-bound for the time being - feeling like a rag doll. It happens every time I reduce and usually lasts 4 or 5 days...

[Rosina1871 in reply to Marijo1951]

Thanks for your reply. Seems as though it’s a common reaction

[Rosina1871 in reply to Marijo1951]

I’m on my fourth day so hopefully I will pick up a little in a few days time

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marijo1951]

Do you do your reduction "overnight" so to speak?

[Rosina1871 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi Just gone from 10 to 9.5 . Sorry not sure what you mean

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rosina1871]

Did you go from every day 10mg to every day 9.5mg or do you use some form of slowed reduction approach? I find I notice changing dose much more when I have consectutive days of the lower dose - challenging my body for one day at a time and then having a few days of the old dose, getting the new dose days closer together is much easier.

[Rosina1871 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for the info. Was going to do 9.5 for a week and see how it goes. Will perhaps try ten for a couple of days then drop again . Doc ad iced 9 but I decided not

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rosina1871]

I developed and used this:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

which is being used in a study so medically approved. There are other versions of something similar - but this can be slowed down as much as you need.

[Rosina1871 in reply to PMRpro]

Many thanks. Really appreciate your advice

[Hidden]

Hi Rosina, there are lots of ways of tapering your pred. You are going from old dose to new dose in one go. At least you are doing 0.5mg which the body finds easier sometimes, but there are ways to slowly drop full drop dose taking up to a month. Here is a link. You need to scroll down to steroid tapers. Come back if you need help, lots of people have tried these methods.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Rosina1871 in reply to Hidden]

Thank very much for link

[Oumaof2]

Hi Rosina. I dropped from 7 to 6.5 Friday before last ... No real difference for following 3 days then I 'hit the wall'.... Everything was an effort!. This grew worse and when I could barely walk, legs felt leaden, I gave in and went back to 7 last Friday.... Reason being, we were driving to eldest son and family the following day.. They have a 16 month daughter, who is the light of our lives... Pleased to say I felt energised and managed to keep up with her and enjoy family time... .... The fatigue of that tapered week was scary.... Amazing the difference .5 can make!... So admitting defeat on this occasion for the better quality of a lovely family day, in the grand scheme of this roller coaster we're all on, is neither here nor there...

Have a good holiday Monday everyone.. Lena 🤗

[Rosina1871 in reply to Oumaof2]

Thanks for your reply. This is my fifth day on 9.5 and I say this with caution, I feel a little better today. Fingers crossed but I’m not holding my breath

[Oumaof2 in reply to Rosina1871]

🤞🤞for you... Sending positive thoughts.... Let us know how it goes... Lena 🤗

[Rosina1871 in reply to Oumaof2]

Will do and thanks