1mg prednisolone….. 0mg

[Tayzee]

hi I have managed to get down to taking just 1mg pred from 20mg over 18mths . Now I am taking just 1mg a few times a week… when can I stop completely and how will I know if my adrenal glands are coping please?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you are 1mg a few days a week and you feel OK it suggests they are doing fine but I would ask the GP to do a basal cortisol - cortisol on a sample taken between 9am and lunchtime just to be sure and to book a synacthen test if it is inconclusive. One lady was down to under 2mg and felt great - but a synacthen test showed no reative function and she could have been quite ill in an emergency.

When can you stop? I'd cut down a bit further, more days between pred days, and then space them further and further apart and finally stop. Even 1/2mg a day can be plenty to manage very low inflammation - you have to stop to find out if you have got there!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Agree with PMRpro.... and at 18 months, PMR may still be there, so as advised [and as many have discovered] 0.5mg really can be enough to keep it in check... so no rush.

[piglette]

How do you feel? Also how many times a week do you take the 1mg? Do you do 1mg one day then 0mg the next?

[2013mayo]

I’ve been trying for a long time to get to 1mg pred, I take 1 and 1/2 every day, I did try to take just 1mg but my shoulders and hip started playing up, it seems crazy to think just 1/2 mg could make the difference but it does with me. Hope it all goes well for you.

[Blomps]

If you are not in a hurry I would keep like that. I manged to get down yo 10mg after 6 years now back on 55 daily because of polymyalgia

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blomps]

55mg is far too high for PMR - it is a GCA dose.

[Blomps in reply to PMRpro]

Advised by renowned consultant, as my inflammation figure was so high. Also on Methotrexate and now Sulfasalazine to reduce Prednisilone.