Tapering off prednisone...so tired???

Ugh....I am tapering off prednisone again..and i am sooooo tired. Usually occurs in the afternoon/night but makes me miserable. Do you think it is from coming off the steroids. I am down to 20mg which started on monday and going down to 10mg next monday. I have also been getting hot flashes and headaches at night....all related??

During my last regimen of Prednisone, I was so tired all of the time that I needed to stop and rest once or twice just climbing a flight of stairs. I complained to my GI and PCP, and my PCP finally decided to order a fasting blood glucose level test. It turned out well over 300, and later went to 404, with a hemoglobin A1C of over 12%. It turns out that Prednisone can produce high BGLs and sometimes type 2 diabetes. The literature says that it usually resolves a couple of months after being steroid free, but not always. Mine didn’t and I’m still on meds for diabetes. Bottom line, everyone taking Prednisone should be monitored for blood glucose level, even if you have to buy your own meter!

Well, pred can make you have energy, so I can see being more tired when lowering it. It never really did that to me except when I was on high doses of IV steroids. Then I was up all night in the hospital

Lynn, we are on the same schedule pretty much. I am on 20mg and going down to 15mg in a few days. Hope to be at 10mg soon and then will taper slowly to zero! I am tired too and I don't get a good nights sleep. I only sleep a few hours at a time and during the day I feel drained. I've been feeling better lately but I am scared for 10mg - 0mg, I haven't had much luck remaining in remission.

Lynn, I get the complete exhaustion as well. I am off of them, and have been for 2 weeks, but it hasn't eased up. I don't get the headaches too badly, but man do I have hot flashes!! That and night sweats, and severe hair loss and a host of other things-all related to pred tapers. I hate it!!

Heidi-I agree!! I told my mom I was sorry for making fun of her and her hot flashes when I started having them myself...karma, I guess!

I dream like crazy too when i am on the prednisone. And really strange ones. I am going down to 10mg tomorrow...yah!!! Keeping my fingers crossed that all stays ok for awhile.

Ahhh, prednisone, that false sense of energy and feeling so strong... had to actually shave my face for the peach fuzz I was born with to become more than that! You'll recover from the side effect of this drug, it's the best to cure a serious flare-up, always. Give any and all your thoughts to your Dr., I am a 14yr. survivor of UC, I adore my Dr. he can only treat me for this disease with me involved in what he chose for this field he's in to find a cure. I am in remission, I have been here before and I trust him and myself to be forthcoming with info. These people we choose to care for us have also chose a path of care for others, they are only as good at what they do if they have the knowledge of people like you and I...it's our disease that prove to them books open like butt-cheeks, but what's inside hasn't been....