tapering advice, yet again!

[Gossiplady]

I am down to 1mg and feeling fine and have now decided to have a go at the dead slow nearly stop plan. I have written it all out in my diary, day by day. But if at any time I start to feel a bit rough, what do I do? Do I go back to the old dose for a week, do I up the dosage a bit, and when I start to feel ok again, do I start from the beginning of the tapering plan, or resume where I was happy on the plan? Many thanks, I could not manage without you and the forum.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Provided it’s not too bad, just repeat the previous stage - you can do that as many times as it’s necessary… when you feel okay, the just resume where you left off…

But to be honest at 1mg there really is no need to push yourself to reduce….

[Gossiplady in reply to DorsetLady]

Bless you. Trying to be patient!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As DL suggests - just repeat the stage where you still felt fine as long as you need. If it were me - not sure I'd be bothered about getting to zero but I do realise the attraction!

[Gossiplady in reply to PMRpro]

Bless you ! Will try to switch off and be patient!

[Tiredofpmr555 in reply to PMRpro]

I would like to stop taking prednisone to perhaps seeing scab free and scar free arms and legs. Maybe I an clumsier than most but I am constantly hurting myself-mostly when gardening.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Tiredofpmr555]

All par for the course with Pred -unfortunately. Maybe try long gardening gloves or arm/leg protectors -plenty online.

[SnazzyD]

At 1mg I fiddled and faffed about for a year chopping 1mg into bits to try to make a slope of reduction rather than a staircase. No idea if that helped. I didn’t have a rigid plan and didn’t worry about getting off it. One day I looked at the crumbs in my pot and decided enough was enough, the comfort blanket had to go. I still had supplies of it if I needed it. I also tried not push my luck with over doing it for a good 18 months after stopping it too.

[Gossiplady in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you so much. Great comfort!

[TheMoaningViolet]

I reduced to 0.5 mg first, very slowly and now I am taking 0.5 mg every fifth day. I feel fine and my next step will be to take 0.5 mg every sixth day. Once I take the next step I repeat it until I feel completely fine and then extend it by a day etc. I could probably just stop instead. Good luck with you taper.

[Gossiplady in reply to TheMoaningViolet]

Thank you so much.

[Grammy80]

It took me 4 years to get down to 3 mg of prednisone along with taking tcz every week. Before I had my surgery I was at 3 and reducing every three to four weeks but decided to just stay at 3 mg through this procedure. So here I sit and am in no hurry, I will continue until I really get a good night's sleep a few nights in a row and don't feel stressed and exhausted. I can crack one not at a time and do it well but not a whole bunch! I think I would probably coast at 1 mg until I was peaking at the roots of the daisies! I think you're doing great and you've received some great advice from the Pro and Dorset lady💞

[Gossiplady in reply to Grammy80]

Many thanks. This forum is brilliant!

[Uke1]

I have just taken my last 0.5mg of a pill last week, having tapered down by this dose one day a week until I just stopped! I had realised that when I was taking this dose twice a week, then once a week I felt absolutely fine, so I have now finished with them after a 3-year journey. I am keeping everything crossed that I am done with it all now! 🤞🤞

The best of luck to you also!

[Gossiplady in reply to Uke1]

Bless you! Have justarted today on the Dead Slow, just to see how it goes. In September I will have been chugging along for two and a half years, so am taking it very very slowly. I wish you every success.

[Grammy80 in reply to Uke1]

That is fantastic and good for you! I wish you the best.💞

[Uke1 in reply to Grammy80]

Thank you 🙏