Re: Re: can you reduce your meds too quickly and relapse?

[Guest guest]

Hi Rie:

This is what happened to me. I was doing great and down to 2mg of prednisone. My

doctor and I decided to try and get off the prednisone completely. But I did it

too fast - I should have decreased my dosage much slower. I did get thrown into

a flare and haven't felt as well ever since (this was last March). So do be

careful when reducing meds. Prednisone is particularly difficult to get off of.

gloria

[Guest guest]

hi, Rie! my best guess-timate would be YES! but everyone is

different... gentle hugs, Marcia

--- Rie <ravencache@...> wrote:

>

> Writing to Sandy made me wonder--

>

> Question for those of you who have been able to

> decrease your meds because you were feeling good, or

> because your rheumy felt you might be in remission,

> how did you know for sure?

>

> Could you decrease the meds too quickly and risk then

> having to " up " them again, possibly without getting

> the best results (or results that you had before)?

>

> Guess what I'm trying to say is, might the meds not

> work as well if you try to reduce them too quickly?

>

> Rie

>

>

>

> __________________________________

> Do you ?

> - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.

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>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/20/05 5:14:30 PM, freelancedrafting@... writes:

When I was on 5mg Prednisone, I used to divide that tiny little tablet into 4 pieces and reduced the dosage by only 1/4 tablet at a time

Have your doc prescribe the 1 mg pills.

It is too inaccurate to break the fivers down.

You can break the one mg into quarters...inagine the difference in tapering ability! !

Pris

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[Guest guest]

hey, Chris! I got off pred. the same way, except the pharmacy phoned

my rheumy. and I was given 1mg pills. then I went from 5mg. to 4.5mg,

to 4mg., to 3.5mg, etc. it sure was easier to split a 1mg. in half,

than a 5mg. into four parts! gentle hugs, Marcia

--- " M. C. Warren " <freelancedrafting@...> wrote:

> Hi Rie,

> The way I get off of meds to to listen to my body. I lower the

> dosage very slightly and then continue at that dosage until I have a

> good (or at least a better than average day) and then I lower the

> dosage just a little more. When I was on 5mg Prednisone, I used to

> divide that tiny little tablet into 4 pieces and reduced the dosage

> by only 1/4 tablet at a time. It took me months to get off

> prednisone but it was worth it. Listening to your body as it adjusts

> to the lower dosage and not lowering it any more until your body has

> made the adjustment is the way to get off meds. You know that your

> body has adjusted to the lower dosage when you start sleeping better

> and/or having better than average days.

>

> Our bodies are capable of storing many of the meds. When you try to

> get off too quickly, all you do is deplete the amount stored in your

> body and thereby trigger a massive flare when your stored amount is

> used up. What you need to do is to decrease you body's dependency on

> having a certain level of the medication always available by doing it

> very slowly and only as you feel comfortable and don't try it during

> a flare or during seasonal weather that you know is uncomfortable for

> you. Wait until you are feeling reasonably good at your current

> level of medication and even then, lower only one medication at a

> time. If you have a little flare, then go back to the previous dosage

> (not all the way back to the beginning if you can help it) and then

> continue until you have a good or better than average day before you

> try again. I realize that this is particularly hard for those of you

> with small children and my heart goes out to you. I remember needing

> an afternoon nap more than my little

> ones and that was long before I was diagnosed with RA. If you have

> any more questions, just ask.

>

> Good luck,

> Warren

>

>

> Rie <ravencache@...> wrote:

>

>

> Writing to Sandy made me wonder--

>

> Question for those of you who have been able to

> decrease your meds because you were feeling good, or

> because your rheumy felt you might be in remission,

> how did you know for sure?

>

> Could you decrease the meds too quickly and risk then

> having to " up " them again, possibly without getting

> the best results (or results that you had before)?

>

> Guess what I'm trying to say is, might the meds not

> work as well if you try to reduce them too quickly?

>

> Rie

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Do you ?

> - You care about security. So do we.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Marcia and Pris,

At the time I got off the prednisone, I didn't know about the 1mg tablets. What a great way to decrease the dosage. If I ever need to go back on the prednisone, you can be sure I'll ask for the 1mg tabs so I can get off them easier!

Thanks,

Warren__________________________________________________