Posted 11/30/2010 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
I had to start the taper over three times when I hit 10 to 5 mg. Mostly because I freaked out at the sign of symptoms (inexperience with my first flare) and didn't realize that you must do everything you can to get off of pred, and there is an arsenal available to you.
The third time on the taper, when I hit 10 I listened (though not enough) to my HW buds and started on mesalamine rectal meds (Canasa suppositories), and I believed that carried me through to the end of the taper without setback or discomfort. I remember experiencing a lot of rectal inflammation/pain at 7.5 mg. The suppositories dispensed with that and I was able to sail off pred without the symptoms that made me bounce back to 40. I had bad psychiatric side effects though--severe anxiety (am bipolar)
Unfortunately, I relapsed two months later, I believe, because of severe anxiety and a big drop in Asacol dosage. This time, I pulled out the big guns, rectal enemas, and two months later I was free and clear, but because I had been on pred so long, I went down 1 mg. a month, alternating days, which took six or seven months. My second flare could have been tamped down with rectal enemas, but I didn't pay attention until things got out of hand.
That's my 14-month-long Pred saga. Some people are on for years and are dependent on it, can't stay in remission for a good length of time without it. Hope that's not me!