Putting on the Prednisone brakes~!: I"m feeling... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

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Putting on the Prednisone brakes~!

Grammy80 profile image
20 Replies

I"m feeling very fortunate because I have gone from 40 mg pred to 12.5 mg without and major issues....just the old tired period after dropping. BUT...my rheumy has had me decrease by 2.5 per month. Last month I told him I would rather do 1mg but he good naturedly got me to go along with him.

I see him next week and now feel I want to slow to 1mg per month. What are your thoughts? I feel if I insist he won't want the responsibility of messing up~!!❤️

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Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80
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20 Replies
alvertta profile image
alvertta

I think 1 a month is good. I was doing 1 every 5 weeks. Now down to 4. No issues.

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply toalvertta

Good for you, I'm happy to hear that....especially the no issues part.❤️

piglette profile image
piglette

The rule of thumb is no more than 10% drop at any one time, so you have now got to that point.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Is this with or without Actemra?

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply toPMRpro

With Actemra weekly. Now what do you think?❤️

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toGrammy80

I'd do the 2.5mg to 10, POSSIBLY to 7.5mg - the Actemra allows that. Then you are in adrenal territory - and slower is better then to let the adrenals catch up.

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply toPMRpro

Thanks Pro, I know the Actemra is there to help me get down in dosage, but I guess I didn't realize how powerful its roll is.💖

jinasc profile image
jinasc

Tell him that Professor Bhaskhar Dasgupta and world leader in research on PMR & GCA keeps patients on 2.3mg for at least a year (maybe 2) PMRpro will know exactly how many years. I can't find it.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply tojinasc

Don't think he said - just longer term. Which means anything ...

jinasc profile image
jinasc in reply toPMRpro

Thanks xxx

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply tojinasc

You bet I will~!!❤️

jinasc profile image
jinasc in reply toGrammy80

Stick like glue to PMRpro's reply, I did not take Actemra into the equation ..............xxxxx

Bcol profile image
Bcol

Morning Grammy, 1mg a month sounds good to me. I've been doing 1mg every 5 weeks with an occasional extra week if neccessary and now looking at .5 as I get get below 5mg.

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply toBcol

Hi, That definitely is a more comfortable cut for me. I hope my rheumy has his 'listening ears' on~!!💖

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep

After endless false starts in reducing and some considerable years down the line, I have had some success at only going down by 1/2 mg after 10mg. Stress related flares suggest pmr is still around - I am just a bit better at managing it (I hope!).. Currently crawling to 4 1/2. I am at last a believer that too fast is short sighted. Good luck

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply toherdysheep

I agree, crawling is much better than falling on your face~!! Thanks💖

Exflex profile image
Exflex

Received wisdom informs us not to reduce by more than 10%. It’s really important at lower doses.

nallufl24 profile image
nallufl24

I went from 35 to 7.5 pred while on Actemra. I went a little slower than doctor wanted. He wanted me to reduce 5 mg every week but i went 2 or 3 a week. Now he wants me to reduce 2.5 every 2 weeks. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do

Grammy80 profile image
Grammy80 in reply tonallufl24

I think you have to be comfortable with the reduction. Last month when he said 2.5 and I was at 15, I bucked him a bit but gave in. At a dosage of 12.5, I have had a few headaches which I had not been having and some soreness in my left jaw, not pain, but I'm just not comfortable pushing the envelope with another 2.5 cut. I can't imagine a cut like that every few weeks. When I reduce I seem to go through a period of fatigue and not feeling my best, then the next 3 weeks are ok. I've never been in a rush to zero person and I'm definitely not a rush to flare person. I've got too many irons in the fire to push a button that doesn't need to be fooled with. Pred is great...pred is bad and we need to reduce but we also need to have a good quality of life, the best we can and if it means taking some pred for the rest of my days, I'm OK with that. Wow...the old philosopher strikes again~!!!I was also put on Actemra back in 2019 and had to get off for awhile last year when I was in the hospital with cellulitis. I've been back on it now for at least 5 months, I would guess.

We all have a lot to juggle and I think we do pretty darn good~! Especially with the forum to guide and support us.❤️

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toGrammy80

If you have symptoms - different again, then you slow down, even delay the taper.

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