Hello!

My imuran (aza) was increased to 100mg before I started my final pred wean (the one that should be done the slowest) from 5mg to zero.  So we increased my Imuran, after 2 weeks checked bloods then dropped pred to 4mg for 2 weeks, checked bloods then dropped to 3 mg for 2 weeks, checked bloods...and you get the picture!    Please make sure they make that final wean super slow.  Your adrenal glands will stop working while you're on pred...so the final super slow wean is needed to jump start them back into action.  If this wean is done too quickly, you could go into adrenal insufficiency or flare...it could also cause your joints to hurt more (which may happen off the pred anyway). 

I'm happy your appointment went so well though!

So with the very high numbers you had you started at 30mg and dropped to 20mg the next week?     And your numbers weren't normal by then, I'm guessing.  Are they normal now?  I guess if your numbers are normal now, then keeping you at the 10mg is better than keeping you at higher numbers to stabilize. 

I had a severe onset and didn't get better on my own as you did the first time.  I started at 40mg and a week later added CellCept.  It has a quick onset unlike imuran which takes 2 months to take effect and only dropped to 30mg in 5 weeks, then to 20mg 2 weeks later.  3 weeks til I dropped to 15mg then 2 weeks to 10mg.  2 weeks later I actually added imuran to the mix when I dropped to 7.5mg pred and piggy backed the immunosuppressants for 2 months to be sure the imuran was on board, then dropped the CellCept.  So from first day of 40mg to 7.5 mg took a little more than 3 months.  So I definitely started on a stricter more aggressive treatment plan than you have.  I only get nervous when people go on this quick pred thing because I want everyone to have the positive results that I have.  I don't want you to flare again and risk more damage to your liver.  You can stop the progression of any more cirrhosis by making sure your LFTs are normal before you drop dose again. 

So you aren't scheduled to have bloods drawn before your next drop to 10mg?  I would call them and insist you have labs done before your drop to 10mg especially if he wants you to wait until the middle of Jan for another blood test.

The definite plus to the more rapid pred drops is you do avoid a lot of the high dose side effects!