Four days til the end of Pred... hopefully.

After a 10 month ordeal with Prednisone I'm down to 5mg, and am instructed to drop it next Tuesday. I've been at 5 before but went back up to 10 a couple months ago when I had some issues. But so far I'm doing good, I've had 4 Remicade infusions and I think maybe it's taking hold. Since this is my first time going off the prednisone completely I know there can be some side effects, especially if your body isn't doing it's job of producing the natural equivalent. I'm curious if anyone can relate their experiences after stopping Pred, so I can know what to look forward to and not freak out about it. because I tend to have a lot of anxiety when something I've not felt bfore appears.

Thanks guys, I'm praying I can stay off the Pred, I'm sure it's helped me in a lot of ways but I'm also heavier than I've ever been and my energy is not what it used to be.

I would advise you to go slower than that if you have been on pred for 10 months. I was on it for one year and a half and was on 2.5 mg when I got a severe stomach flare up where I was put on iv fluids and injections. This necessitated my stopping the pred on 2.5 mg and the end result was hypertension though I have suffered all my life from low blood pressure. Try not to go off it too fast. I also got joint pain that lasted for some time and now after two months it's gone.
Hope the taper is smooth:)

When I was younger (I am 44 now, I was 13 when I was first put on prednisone) I could drop the prednisone faster, but now I have to be careful or I get withdrawal symptoms. My skin will hurt all over, and it hurts if its touched, and my joints will really hurt, plus I find my lupus and Crohn's symptoms will rebound.

Also, I have no adrenal gland activity anymore because of long-term steroid use, so I can never stop taking it. If I stop completely I go into adrenal crisis.

I have been on 60mgs for the last year due to a really severe bout of illness, but recently my doctors upped it to 120mgs to treat a new problem. It makes me really anxious and unable to sleep deeply, so I use ativan to feel more restful.

Hopefully I will get to drop it soon, and I do it by 5-10 mgs a time weekly...but everyone is different, but Cindy is right: The longer you are on it, the slower you need to go.