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Normal post pred?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/12/2019 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I finished a 5 month course of prednisone last Tuesday and after a few days off of prednisone my knees, wrists, and elbows ache all the time. Is this normal after such a long course of prednisone? I tapered very slowly, going down to 2.5 mg from 20 mg took ages. My UC is fine so far, but I am also very tired. I didn’t experience this the last time I took prednisone in 2015. I followed a similar taper schedule, this one was actually slower because I was on pred a month longer than last time around.
Thanks!

Current meds are 100 mg of Imuran, 4 lialda and nightly sfrowasa
Posted 4/12/2019 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Yes. Sounds like prednisone-withdrawal: aches or fatigue are the most common. As we taper prednisone, our adrenal system is supposed to rewaken and resume producing cortisol (pred is synthetic cortisol). Cortisol regulates sleep/awake cycles, and is a minor pain reliever.

1.) It's possible your adrenals will resume producing normal levels of cortisol, if you give it a few more weeks.

2.) It is possible they will not, and you might need to see an endocrinologist-specialist doctor who deals with naturally occurring hormones in the body, like cortisol. They can measure your body's cortisol levels and see where they are at. They'd normally start you on a low dose of hydrocortisone and do a slower taper.

3.) You could go back on pred at a low dose, and try alternating daily dosages. 2.5mgs one day, 1mg the next, back to 2.5, and alternate like that a few days to tease your adrenals back awake. Sometimes works.
Posted 4/12/2019 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
I’m hoping it passes, I did go to every other for my taper. Ugh, last thing I want is more prednisonesmile
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