Prednisone Taper

[RaisinBran]

This is the second time that I have jumped up from 3mg to 8mg because of severe leg and knee pain, shoulder etc and a lot of fatigue. This was recommended and works beautifully. After two weeks I am suppose to drop back to 3mg but I feel so good, I don’t want to. What do my experts think? Thank you and I just love the support you give all of us!!!!

[Bcol]

Personally I'd drop back to three in a couple of steps, perhaps come down to 5.0mg and if things are OK then go back to 3.0mg. However you and your doctor, maybe need to decide if your original dose of 3.0mg was too low and the inflammation has got the upper hand again. If so, you may need to stay at the/a higher dose, one that takes away the pain/symptoms, for longer and then taper down as normal/usual from that higher dose.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Well think you probably need to drop down a bit, but maybe not as low as before.

Why not try 5mg? But then stay there rather than drop again. Give yourself a few weeks at 5mg and then decide with your doctors what to do from there.

As Bcol suggested perhaps 3mg was too low.

[SnazzyD]

Some of it, like the fatigue, might have been low adrenal function which isn’t apparent when you are on 8mg. To deal with that you need to reduce very slowly indeed and in 0.5mg chucks. From 8mg I was doing that over 6-8 weeks until I got to around 5mg and then I slowed down even more. Does the PMR schedule no harm either to go more slowly.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I would say that 3mg is too low - it is letting inflammation build up and that's why you got the pain again. I'd suggest to not go lower than 5mg and see how you feel there,

[RaisinBran in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you Pro