Exhausted

[Carathedog]

Hi, I’m currently in the process of decreasing my pred. from 7 to 6.5,

I was on 7 for about two months , as I had a holiday to Thailand early November, all went well, and I waited a couple of weeks before I started 6.5, which I’ve been on for about three weeks.

I’m just feeling rubbish , really weepy and depressed, very sleepy, no energy, struggling to get through the day,

Would appreciate any help

Xx

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Did you drop straight from every day 7mg to every day 6,5mg? We always suggest a slowed taper to get from one every day dose to the next - and it makes the transition easier. What you are describing sounds very much like steroid withdrawal and a bit of your body finding the new dose a bit too low to replace adrenal function. A slower change in dose really can help.

[Carathedog in reply to PMRpro]

Ok thanks, should I do one day 7, one day 6.5

[Carathedog in reply to Carathedog]

Sorry, yes I did drop straight from 7 to 6.5. How long should I stay on this

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Carathedog]

If you look under tapering in the FAQs there is a choice of approaches as even alternating the doses like that may not be slow enough.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Adrenals stuttering for sure -as PMRpro has advised a much slower taper -and maybe have read of this -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[SnazzyD]

I found that just because one ‘gets away’ with one under 10mg drop, it doesn’t mean you’ll sail through the next. It was more like fumbling about trying to find where my adrenal function was at any one day or even time. In order to avoid the worst wobblies, I introduced 0.5mg drops over anything from 6-14 weeks; the lower I got the slower I got. Life’s activities also dictated how I felt as if I had to do more than the cortisol output available allowed, I felt dreadful. 5pm weepies was a standard daily occurrence. I think a lot of my evening meals contained 10% tears! Life became extremely bland for a good 18 months or so but it came good in the end so take heart and go with whatever flow you are given every day or even every hour, it can be that unpredictable.

[Carathedog in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks, will try slowing down

[Bcol]

I use a five week DL taper and even then only start the next taper if I feel comfortable with how I feel and if I feel it's neccessary then delay the next taper by a week or two. It may feel counter productive but the slower you go at this stage will probably get you to the end quicker and with taking less Pred overall.

[Carathedog in reply to Bcol]

Thanks for the help

[Jackoh]

I ended up doing the DSNS( dead slow, nearly stop) plan for my drop to 6.5 from 7 mg. I did repeat the stages at least twice, sometimes three times depending on how I felt. It took ages but was successful in the end. Xx💐

[Carathedog in reply to Jackoh]

Thanks that’s encouraging, I’ll have to be patient, what are you on just now x

[Jackoh]

I have just had a chest infection and with Christmas I decided to stay at this level until after Christmas.