dropping down on prednisone

Ouch is the word.... I dropped down to 2.5 mg this week from 5mg. pain is surely telling on me today.... who would think that just a half of that tiny little pill would make such a difference. I will work through this tho... have been on the 5mg for about 7 weeks now so it was time to drop it down. I sure do feel like I have the flu though. I have also found out that working at my desk is not doing any good for me either. Everyday I come home and I am in pain and my legs swollen, I am only working part time now. So hopefully by the end of the year I will be finished. I just don't know how much longer I can work. I get up from my desk and walk around but time I sit back down it starts with the pain again. Guess most of you know what I am dealing with. Anyway hopefully you all are having a great pain free day.
Gentle hugs to you all
peggy

I hope you feel better soon, that is a lot to drop when you are only on 5mg. When I was coming off of it the lower the dose the harder it was to drop it. I only went down 1mg at a time when I was on that low a dose as a result. Hang in there and take it easy.

Don is right. I don't know how long you have been on prednisone, but doseage reduction under 10 mg is usually done in one mg increments because of the risk of adrenal fatigue in steroid dependent patients. I would check withyour rheumatologist. That's a big drop, Peggy.

Fatigue is the primary symptom, but adrenal fatigue can lead to adrenal crisis, which can be lethal. Symptoms are confusion, pyschosis, fever, hyperkalemia (too much potassium...also lethal), hypercalemia, hypotension (low bp), vomitting, diarrhea, syncope (fainting). This is why steroid dependent patients must have a stress dose of steroids during illness, surgeries or major stessors. They cannot respond to the body's cortisol needs. It is imperative for long term steroid users to wear medical ID bracelets stating their steroid stress dose requirements so that medical personnel are aware if you are ever found down and unable to state this.

As an icu nurse, I've seen first hand what this can do. As a steroid dependent patient...I'd rather not die of preventable causes. Adrenal fatigue and adrenal crisis do not happen to everyone who is on steroids...but it's not worth risking my life over IMO. Be careful.

Hang in there psbg, I had to go up on my dose when I was tapering off at least twice due to flares and that was at a 1 mg drop. It was a time consuming process and it took a lot of patience which is something I personally am not great about. To be at 5 mg is a great achievement so make sure you acknowledge it ok?

Rome wasn't built in a day :)

Aren't we all! I'm just glad to be able to share my experience and I hope you are feeling better.