Upped my prednisone for knee inflammation and now I'm not sure how to reduce back to 1.5 mg.

[jackswife]

You all have so much good advice on reducing prednisone which helped be to successfully reduce my dose to 1.5 mg, which I have been on for quite some time. (Many months, but reluctant to keep going as I was having other issues and didn't want to rock the boat further.). Recently my knee became swollen, stiff and quite painful. No injury that I am aware of. Had x-rays and found some arthritis but nothing else. The usual treatment would be anti-inflammatory, like aspirin. But because I am on an aspirin regime for a blood thinner, it is recommended that I don't take more. So....prednisone was the answer, of course. My primary care gave me a 5mg dose, which I've been taking for 2 weeks. Inflammation and pain gone. So now I want to reduce back down to 1.5. Question is, how fast? I only have 4 of the 5mg left, but 45 of 1 mg and I think I"m ready to start reducing now. Can I go quickly, like start reducing .5 mg every 3-4 days?

Thanks in advance. Kathy

[PMRpro Ambassador]

After only 2 weeks you can just about drop straight back but doing it in 2 steps a few days apart might be a bit more comfortable or one mg every 2 or 3 days.

[jackswife in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, PMRpro. I was hoping to hear from you :). Always wise advice.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jackswife]

Don't worry - I read everything and if DL or Snazzy haven't yet answered, I will. If I would say what they've said, sometimes I don't reply but i do usually say!

[confused2]

I have been off prednisone for 4 months now.I reduced very slowly from 5 down. I went 1/2 at a time and stayed on each reduction for a month. I had many aches and pains but never used prednisone to make me feel better only as the means to get GCA in remission. Still have aches and pains because of osteoarthritis. I have anti-inflammatory meds that were given to me after I got a low as 7. It does help some and I also take Tylenol for pain. My main symptom was inflation marker and I had severe headache. The only time I adjusted my prednisone was when my headaches returned. Good luck.