Tapering plan

[Washbrook]

I’m about to start on the dead slow tapering plan and have been reading through loads of past posts and very helpful advice - for which many thanks. However I can’t find any reference to how long folks stay on the new dose once they’re successfully there. Tips would be much appreciated.

Last time I tried to reduce - from 9mg down to 8mg - I experienced awful fatigue and mild GCA symptoms. I’m determined to get it right this time. Thanks in advance for any tips.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Then you may not have read it correctly - did you read my original post? I do say that you can just continue starting with the next step when it is convenient as you have reduced so slowly you have probably had enough time to know you are still comfortable. Some people stay at the new dose for a week or two - it depends a bit where they started so how long a complete reduction took can be anything from 20+ days to 50+ days and some people use a calendar starting on the first of the month and they just mark time until the beginning of the next month.

However - however slowly you reduce, nothing will get you past the dose you are looking for: the lowest effective dose for YOU. You are not reducing relentlessly to zero, you are looking for the lowest dose that gives the same result in terms of symptoms control as the starting dose did.

[Washbrook in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for your advice. I clearly didn’t read it thoroughly enough. I’ll go back to your original post. Thanks for the clarification tho - encouraged that hopefully I may be able to go straight into the next reduction. I was thinking I may have to stay on new dose for a month or so. Hopefully not. Thanks again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Washbrook]

You may do - everyone is different so no-one can say really. As I say, the slower you go, the less likely you would be to need to stay at the new dose but where is the difference between making the step down more quickly and staying at the new dose for a bit and making the change more slowly? And the lower you get, the slower you should go anyway. It isn't a race.

[Washbrook in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks - I’m learning the hard way that it’s not a race. Determined this time to pace things sensibly. Interestingly although I was diagnosed in October 2018, I didn’t experience fatigue until 2020 and the onset of GCA symptoms which I simply didn’t recognise for a couple of months. I’m sure going slowly will be a good defence against fatigue. Thanks again.

[Theziggy]

Gave a look at some of the tapering plans here -steroidtaper.azurewebsites.... they all clearly document your daily dose whilst on a taper

[Washbrook in reply to Theziggy]

Thanks Theziggy - sounds v useful I’ll take a closer look at that. At the moment I’ve scrawled my proposed tapering schedule all over my wall calendar.

[piglette]

When I got to 10mg I started to reduce 0.5mg a month or possibly six weeks if things went well. I don’t think I could have managed a whole mg.

[Washbrook in reply to piglette]

Aw well I didn’t get on at all well with trying to drop a whole 1mg which is why im now going to try this very slow taper.

[piglette in reply to Washbrook]

Good idea