Reducing Pred and side effects

[Doraflora]

Hello all you lovely people and a belated Happy New Year.

I haven’t been on here for ages, but don’t know what to do really.

My GP is slowly weaning me off the Pred. I’ve had no problems at all, but just a few days after reducing from 3 mg to 2, I started to feel pretty grotty: head pain, nausea, and just feeling yuk. Oddly enough (or coincidentally) the symptoms seem to start about 3 hours after taking the Pred.

It’s an odd feeling as it does feel like some kind of withdrawal symptom, but it also feels like I’ve taken a completely new med which doesn’t agree with me.

I’ve got a Phone app booked with my GP on Friday, but I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this? My OH is getting fed up with me complaining!

Thanks for reading.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

That is a relatively large change in dose - 33%! Though it is strange it happens soon after taking the pred.

Is this since starting a new pack of pred? Surprising what different tablets can do!!!! Different fillers in the tablet can cause all sorts of unpleasantness.

The next thing I would try is going back to 3mg to see if that makes a difference, if you feel OK again. And then I would try a smaller change in dose - preferably using a slowed taper if you aren't already doing so - they slow down the change in dose and fool your body things aren't as bad as it thought

Is this since starting a new pack of pred? Surprising what different tablets can do!!!!

[Doraflora in reply to PMRpro]

Hi PMRpro.

Well my GP said to reduce 1mg a month, hence I’ve now gone from 3mg to 2.

Now you come to mention it, the problem might have been since starting a new pack! I’d never have even thought of that!

I’ll wait until I’ve spoken to my GP I think first, but I had been thinking of going back up to 3mg again. Will see what he says and take it from there.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Doraflora]

A basic rule from experts is that any reduction should be not more than 10% of the current dose - so by 5mg it should be 1/2mg at a time, less is a bit difficult to achieve which is why we bang on about the slow tapers to smooth it out a bit.