Re: Help: Prednisone Withdrawal - Will it get better?

[Guest guest]

Paige, hang in there. It can be done. Sorry you are feeling rotten.

I hope some in our group who have successfully weaned off prednisone will

share their stories with you.

You can also get help from an endocrinologist, if necessary.

Not an MD

[ ] Help: Prednisone Withdrawal - Will it get better?

> My rheumatologist and I both want me off prednisone. I was only supposed

> to be on it for

> the time it took for methotrexate to kick in. She had me on 10 mg. to

> start for two weeks

> and I felt wonderful. For over two months, I was on 5 mg. which did

> absoluteloy nothing

> except give me a " moon face " and raise my blood pressure. With my

> doctor's supervision,

> I have started tapering.

>

> I am currently on 2 mg., having cut back from 2.5 mg. about a week ago.

> Three days after

> the taper, I had the worst rebound pain that I've ever experienced. I was

> also lightheaded,

> felt like I had the flu and ached all over. Last night, I went through

> sharp, stab like pains

> in joints that have not bothered me in a long time, i.e. ankle and knee.

>

> I've read that this can happen. I've seen stories that people just can't

> get off this steroid.

> My doctor says that I can always taper slower - that next week I can

> alternate 2 mg with

> 1.5 mg. or stay on 2 mg. for a longer period of time.

>

> Has anyone successfully tapered off of Prednisone and if so, can you tell

> me if I'm going

> to feel worse as I taper down and how long it will last?

>

> Many, many thanks.

>

> Paige

[Guest guest]

I tried but it seems the only thing that helps me. I guess

I am addicted. I have tried methotrexate, celebrex, enbrel, plaquenil,

relafin(sp?)

and humira and had problems with all. I know it can be done for some though.

Joy

Paige <paigec38@...> wrote:

My rheumatologist and I both want me off prednisone. I was only

supposed to be on it for

the time it took for methotrexate to kick in. She had me on 10 mg. to start for

two weeks

and I felt wonderful. For over two months, I was on 5 mg. which did absoluteloy

nothing

except give me a " moon face " and raise my blood pressure. With my doctor's

supervision,

I have started tapering.

I am currently on 2 mg., having cut back from 2.5 mg. about a week ago. Three

days after

the taper, I had the worst rebound pain that I've ever experienced. I was also

lightheaded,

felt like I had the flu and ached all over. Last night, I went through sharp,

stab like pains

in joints that have not bothered me in a long time, i.e. ankle and knee.

I've read that this can happen. I've seen stories that people just can't get off

this steroid.

My doctor says that I can always taper slower - that next week I can alternate 2

mg with

1.5 mg. or stay on 2 mg. for a longer period of time.

Has anyone successfully tapered off of Prednisone and if so, can you tell me if

I'm going

to feel worse as I taper down and how long it will last?

Many, many thanks.

Paige

Joy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Visit Joy's Homepage and Reading Room!

http://jhoormann-ivil.tripod.com

Come see My Dog Salsa!

http://www.geocities.com/jhoorm01/Salsa.html

[Guest guest]

It's too bad that prednisone is so bad for you because it is a wonder drug.

It helps my asthma, also. I am currently on 10mg/day, recently added 5mg

because I'm inbetween Humira and Orencia. I also get joint injections which

helps extremely well.

I haven't tried to get below 5mg/day yet. Good luck to all of you that are

weaning off.

Joanne

Re: [ ] Help: Prednisone Withdrawal - Will it get better?

>I tried but it seems the only thing that helps me. I guess

> I am addicted. I have tried methotrexate, celebrex, enbrel, plaquenil,

> relafin(sp?)

> and humira and had problems with all. I know it can be done for some

> though.

> Joy

>

> Paige <paigec38@...> wrote:

> My rheumatologist and I both want me off prednisone. I was only

> supposed to be on it for

> the time it took for methotrexate to kick in. She had me on 10 mg. to

> start for two weeks

> and I felt wonderful. For over two months, I was on 5 mg. which did

> absoluteloy nothing

> except give me a " moon face " and raise my blood pressure. With my doctor's

> supervision,

> I have started tapering.

>

> I am currently on 2 mg., having cut back from 2.5 mg. about a week ago.

> Three days after

> the taper, I had the worst rebound pain that I've ever experienced. I was

> also lightheaded,

> felt like I had the flu and ached all over. Last night, I went through

> sharp, stab like pains

> in joints that have not bothered me in a long time, i.e. ankle and knee.

>

> I've read that this can happen. I've seen stories that people just can't

> get off this steroid.

> My doctor says that I can always taper slower - that next week I can

> alternate 2 mg with

> 1.5 mg. or stay on 2 mg. for a longer period of time.

>

> Has anyone successfully tapered off of Prednisone and if so, can you tell

> me if I'm going

> to feel worse as I taper down and how long it will last?

>

> Many, many thanks.

>

> Paige

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Joy

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Visit Joy's Homepage and Reading Room!

> http://jhoormann-ivil.tripod.com

> Come see My Dog Salsa!

> http://www.geocities.com/jhoorm01/Salsa.html

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Paige, I was up to 100mg a day of Prednisone. I had to taper off of

it, to. I was on prednisone for over a year. It takes time. If

you are that uncomfortable, call your doctor and ask if you can go

back up to the 2.5mg for a while and then alternate with that and

2mg. Then alternate with 2mg and 1.5mg and so on. Everyone is

different. I had the least amount of pain while on steroids, but it

only lasted for a short time before they had to increase my dose.

It took time to come off of it too. I have stayed off it for

various reasons, though it is so tempting to start it back up

because it did help control my pain. You may need to taper at a

slower rate. It takes time and it can be disheartening. Just give

it more time. Call your doctor or better yet, go see him/her. I'm

so sorry that you having so much trouble. I pray that things will

turn around for you soon. Gentle hugs and love, Marina

>

> My rheumatologist and I both want me off prednisone. I was only

supposed to be on it for

> the time it took for methotrexate to kick in. She had me on 10

mg. to start for two weeks

> and I felt wonderful. For over two months, I was on 5 mg. which

did absoluteloy nothing

> except give me a " moon face " and raise my blood pressure. With my

doctor's supervision,

> I have started tapering.

>

> I am currently on 2 mg., having cut back from 2.5 mg. about a week

ago. Three days after

> the taper, I had the worst rebound pain that I've ever

experienced. I was also lightheaded,

> felt like I had the flu and ached all over. Last night, I went

through sharp, stab like pains

> in joints that have not bothered me in a long time, i.e. ankle and

knee.

>

> I've read that this can happen. I've seen stories that people

just can't get off this steroid.

> My doctor says that I can always taper slower - that next week I

can alternate 2 mg with

> 1.5 mg. or stay on 2 mg. for a longer period of time.

>

> Has anyone successfully tapered off of Prednisone and if so, can

you tell me if I'm going

> to feel worse as I taper down and how long it will last?

>

> Many, many thanks.

>

> Paige

>

[Guest guest]

I weaned off of prednisone without any trouble, but I had been on it

for only a few months, and I was on a low dose. I did it on my own and

then told my rheumy because I didn't consider it a long-term solution.

I'm really glad that I did get off of it, after hearing about the

trouble that some people have when they try.

Sue

On Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at 09:23 AM, wrote:

> Paige, hang in there. It can be done. Sorry you are feeling rotten.

>

> I hope some in our group who have successfully weaned off prednisone

> will

> share their stories with you.

>

> You can also get help from an endocrinologist, if necessary.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Paige,

Hope it is okay that I jump in here. I got off predisone last year after

taking it for 9 years. I did it very very slowly. I would only drop a 1/2 mg

ever 3 or 4 weeks. It took awhile to do it but I was able to get off of the

drug. I was told that after being on it for so long I would not be successful.

Maybe that made me determined. There were a couple of times I had to increase

the dosage for a few days. I was successful and I am off of predisone. My

Rheumy and I worked out that if I knew I would be say taking a long trip. You

know a very long car ride then I would take a little prior to the trip. I

didn't do it when I went to Conn., and was sorry. Coming home I took a little

and the ride was so much better. I had to have eye surgery that I was told was

due to the predisone. So I am glad to be off of it. I consider myself lucky

that I did this. But for some it is not possible.

While tapering down go slowly it will be easier to get off of it. Don't worry

how long it is taking you. Just concentrate on the fact that little by little

you are dropping the dosage.

Hope this helps. It is a long road but one that you will be able to do.

Good Luck with it. If I can help don't hesitate to ask.

MeMom

--------- [ ] Help: Prednisone Withdrawal - Will it get better?

> My rheumatologist and I both want me off prednisone. I was only supposed

> to be on it for

> the time it took for methotrexate to kick in. She had me on 10 mg. to

> start for two weeks

> and I felt wonderful. For over two months, I was on 5 mg. which did

> absoluteloy nothing

> except give me a " moon face " and raise my blood pressure. With my

> doctor's supervision,

> I have started tapering.

>

> I am currently on 2 mg., having cut back from 2.5 mg. about a week ago.

> Three days after

> the taper, I had the worst rebound pain that I've ever experienced. I was

> also lightheaded,

> felt like I had the flu and ached all over. Last night, I went through

> sharp, stab like pains

> in joints that have not bothered me in a long time, i.e. ankle and knee.

>

> I've read that this can happen. I've seen stories that people just can't

> get off this steroid.

> My doctor says that I can always taper slower - that next week I can

> alternate 2 mg with

> 1.5 mg. or stay on 2 mg. for a longer period of time.

>

> Has anyone successfully tapered off of Prednisone and if so, can you tell

> me if I'm going

> to feel worse as I taper down and how long it will last?

>

> Many, many thanks.

>

> Paige