Tapering after a flare up

[PMR48]

I've had a flare up of symptoms after a workout injury to my elbow. I'm currently on 2mg of prednisone. I'm wondering if I increase my dose to 10 to overcome the symptoms how fast can I start tapering back to 2. I surely don't want to start the process from 10 to 2 over the next 8 months.

[Yellowbluebell]

If you are only using the higher dose for a few days then you should be able to drop down to your original dose of 2mg. Obviously if you intend to stay at the higher dose for a while you will need to taper again. I am sure others will be along to advise you what speed to taper at if you dont just use the highee dose for a couple of days. Good luck

YBB

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You can take 10mg for up to a week and drop straight back to the previous dose.

[fmkkm]

Hi, just had a nasty flare. I am currently on 4 mg. I did 10 mg for 2 days, then 7,6,5, and back to 4 . All is well now.

[HeronNS]

I believe a common increase in these situations is 5 mg over your current dose. In your case that would be 7 mg. And yes you can drop right back, although When I've done the 5 extra mg I've been a bit afraid to do it overnight and have, in fact, stepped down quite rapidly over several days. As my flare was not injury related but disease activity only I dropped back to a level just above where I'd been.

[Christophene]

I also have triggered a relapse from an injury. I was in such pain from the injury and relapse that I doubled my Prednisone back to original dose. But the next day, was able to return to usual dose. So increasing 1 or 2 days, at least for me, did not require a taper.

Good luck...