Mood Altering Effects of Tapering on Prednisone

I have been feeling more jumpy and tad bit paranoid lately over the past couple of weeks. I feel like it is slowly increasing little by little. I don't drink coffee or any caffeine so I am thinking that the pred taper is taking it's toll once again. I started at 40mg in January '12 and now I am down to 8mg. If I am not exhausted and lethargic I have this nervousness and can't keep my mind on one thing. Sometimes I start talking and just keep saying everything on my mind without filters and I am not making much sense. I feel like I need to chill out and stay calm. I just started Remicade so the last thing I want to do is take another pill for anxiety.

Any thoughts on how to mitigate the effects of the pred? How do people taper on pred while on Remicade?

Have you tried yoga or breathing exercises? I know how tough it is to deal with the side effects of tapering off that evil substance, I had to start an antidressant because I was so "off" but you're so close to the end of the taper, maybe you can use exercise or meditation to get through this without drugs. Have you tried speaking to someone? A therapist or psychologist might be helpful. You could also talk to your GP about a pill that you take when the anxiety is unbearable but not something you have to take regularly.

I see you don't want to try medication but I would get a prescription for Ativan or Xanax .5 MG as needed. I have had both in the past while dealing with disease and would recommend Ativan, it calms you for longer but it has very little "high" feeling like you get with xanax. I was on it as needed for around 7 months and had no problems with addiction and never had to increase the dosage from .5mg.

+1 on the Ativan. Prednisone made me feel crazy, almost manic at times. Ativan as needed during the day and Trazodone at night for sleep brought me down to normal.

A drug-free route may be to increase your exercise or play some kind of button-smashing video game like Mortal Kombat.

You can do it ManhattanMama!! You're so close! I would say the mind blindness effects went away when I got down to 5mg!

If you can just try and sit, with the lights off in a corner or outside with your eyes closed and just erase the thoughts and have a quiet moment, deep breathing. Light yoga and meditation will really help you out whenever you can.