I’m just coming to the end of taking 60mg and tapering down to 50 mg on Tuesday but am becoming increasingly breathless. Even gentle walking leaves me puffed out. Is this the high dosage of steroids or the GCA at its worst ?
Not due to see rheumy for another 6 weeks
Breathlessness is mentioned as a side effect in the Patient Information Leaflet [PIL] - and it does say you should discuss with your doctor.
So please contact your GP..
Thank you I’ll phone in morning x
Good..it might be just the Pred and will improve as you get lower … but always best to check..and do let us know how it goes.
As DL says it is a side effect of pred, especially high doses, but do check with your GP that there is nothing else lurking.
Definitely report this to your doctor. They will check your heart. If they tell you everything is normal as they did me, I found a couple of things that helped.
Sleeping on an incline slightly propped with the window open. In the summer I had a fan blowing across the bed which was pleasant.
Learning breathing from the diaphragm rather than up in the chest. You will find instructions if you google it. This has made me feel better and in control during long Covid, as well.
My breathlessness became intermittent as I reduced my dose. I use the techniques now to help better breathing post Covid.
Thanks Jane. It’s only just started this week. I’ll give the dc a call tomorrow x
I started on 80mg and suffered from being breathless. It gradually got better as I tapered. I cant remember excactly when the breatlessness stopped. Maybe around 30 mg.
Thanks that’s useful to know.
PS. Just to be clear. My experience was that breathlessness was a side effect of the high dose of pred; not the disease.
PMR & GCA - prednisone and breathlessness 
Anxiety, breathlessness & palpitations. 
Breathlessness when walking up slight gradients/stairs
Is Breathlessness due to PMR or Pred?
