Good afternoon everyone. This is my second day reducing from 15mg Pred' to 10mg and I have what feels like a cold.(started today,) Headache,feeling hot and flushed so decided to take two paracetamol. My feeling is that this is to do with withdrawal, am I correct in thinking this ?
Thank you,
Kind regards.
Hi Yorkieme
That seems like a very big drop, any reason why?
15mg to 12.5mg is more usual but l’d be going down by 10% only ie 1.5mg taking me to 13.5mg
If memory serves me, haven’t you recently started on Methotrexate?
MrsN
The only reason why is that I have a very,shall we say stroppy,rheumy who I ignored on a previous occasion. I decided to go with it on this occasion because I simply want to move on,find out what my issue is and get to a position where I don't get the grief that I have had.
Non Hodgkins follicular lymphatic cancer,broken vertebrae T4,compression fracture to L4 ,PMR or RA and 24/7 morphine plus other meds' seems to be dragging me down.
Fingers crossed I don't have to go back to her and say you got it wrong.
Interesting, after nearly 5 years of GCA PMR I have vertebral fractures (4) and take morphine and paracetamol and azathioprine. I find that I have a coldy feeling every time I reduce prednisolone. I am only going down 1mg every 4 weeks in 1/2 mg steps, at present on 5.5mg. I take the full dose of paracetamol most days and find it does keep the cold symptoms at bay. My (new) rheumatologist refers to this reduction scheme as very, very slow! My fractures seem to be caused by too much prednisolone so I don't need to be lectured by rheumatologists on the importance of getting off the pred, not that it stops them.
Because both my husband and I are "vulnerable" people we keen away from everyone else as much as possible so I am pretty sure I haven't got a cold or the dreaded Covid, also this has been going on for months now. I hadn't thought before that morphine could be a factor in this but there has to be a downside to everything, on the other hand it has made life a lot more bearable. Like you I just want to get on with life. I hope you feel better soon.
Yorkie
PMRPRO has suggested you try 12.5mg for two weeks, then try dropping a further 2.5mg & you will still be at 10mg by the end of the month.
If you have any 1mg Tablets you could try
Week One 13.5mg
Week Two 12mg
Week Three 11mg
Week Four 10mg
It might not be so hard on your body, worth a try if you have 1mg’s to hand
Kind Regards
MrsN
I'd suspect it was the size of the drop - 33% of the current dose is VERY likely to lead to steroid withdrawal symptoms just because of the massive change in dose. I think it is unreasonable to ask anyone to do that - as I said, 2x2.5 gets you to the same place and is likely to be less painful!
Not sure what you mean about 2x 2.5, do you mean over the four weeks ? Doing it this way I have dropped to 10ml for the four weeks.Sorry if I seem a bit dim but my wife has told me the morphine is affecting my brain. lol.
And yet, some people can get away with that big a drop. I did 15mg to 10mg after 3 weeks, the 10mg to 7.5mg after 4 weeks. So far OK. Maybe it depends upon the severity of your symptoms, and whether or not you have underlying health issues and/or how long you've been on steroids?
It has a LOT to do with how long you have been on steroids when it comes to the steroid withdrawal effects. And some people can manage that big a drop. However, if you have PMR and reduce at that rate you are VERY likely to overshoot and miss the dose you need.
That would have put me in bed, a drop of that size. 2.5mg was too much for me too. I used to do 0.5mg every 7-10 days.
Hi Yorkie, seems like a very big drop. My Rheumy has advised 0.5 - 1 mg reductions every 2 - 3 weeks from 15 mg to 10 mg. Sounds like you need to make a stand and be kind to yourself.
Feels like carpel tunnel syndrome 
Just a cold? 
Feels like the real deal !
is this what a flare feels like ?
Now I Know What A Flare Feels Like! 
