Posted 7/20/2010 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi and welcome to the forum!
The best I can tell is that sometimes, when coming off pred, symptoms re-cur, and other times, it's all fine. In my one prolonged pred experience, the way I eventually came off the pred entirely without symptoms recurring was to taper slowly in that last 10 mg. But, since you haven't been on it all that long, you might not have the issues I did, and you might do fine 10 (for a week or for 10 days.... what does your doc say?) then 5 for the same, then off. If symptoms start to recur, you can work with your doctor and go back up on the dose a little and try a slower flare, cutting pills in half if necessary or alternating days (5-0-5-0- for instance.)
My son, a few years ago, tapered as his doc suggested and came right off, no problems, no more flares until a minor one this spring.
I would suggest you ask about rectal meds, maybe Rowasa enemas, to continue to keep addressing any inflammation at the bottom and to support your system while you taper. It is said that inflammation starts at the bottom, and that this is also the last place to clear up from inflammation, so even though you have pancolitis (as I do) you may find (like me) that the enemas help.
I hope your taper continues to go smoothly!