Tapering

[Joseph14612]

I am in the US, started at 60 mg prednisone last summer 2022, 20 weeks of Actemra for PMR/GCA, and many back up and down tapering ...and after 8 days of headache at 16 mg, headache went away and I started 15 mg today.

Is this what I am to expect going forward? I have so many side effects from prednisone....too many to list, from diabetes to partially numb feet blurred vision, etc....and after reading so many comments here, it looks worse as I continue taper....I am thankful for all the useful information here...You people here have taught me so much about this dreadful disease that I don't know where I would be without you all....thank you!

[piglette]

Things do improve as you taper. Possibly the one thing that you hit at about 7mg is the deathly fatigue when your adrenal glands have to wake up. You may be fine though.

[agingfeminist]

Re the diabetes: Are you on a carb free diet (no bread, pasta, rice etc .and obviously nothing sweet (no fruit juices and nothing with sweeteners) lots of fiber? This has helped many of us fight pred induced diabetes.

[Joseph14612 in reply to agingfeminist]

The diabetes is actually pre diabetes, but because my sugar spiked, they put me on 5 mg Glipizide...sugar has been eliminated, I use something called "monkey fruit" as a sweetener.

I eat mostly stir fried veggies in olive oil, but some of the veggies have carbs, so I am told. Thank you for the reminder though..

[agingfeminist]

Great that you are pre-diabetic. So was I, A really careful diet zapped all the markers into the normal range...I was on a high dose of steroids for a long time...on the way down now. Good luck with your journey.

[Joseph14612 in reply to agingfeminist]

Thank you, same to you....what a blessing it is to have people like you and this forum, thank you all.

[HeaUnlocked]

Are you still taking actemra?