1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Anyone have discomfort or pain when tapering off prednisone?

Posted by monami @monami, Apr 7, 2022

I am currently on a 3 dose of prednisone. I have some shoulder discomfort that goes down my back on either side. The left side is worse than the right. Anyone else experience back issues? It tends to go away by 3 or 4 pm. Thanks to all! We will get over this thing!

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cazwell50 | @cazwell50 | Jun 20 7:06am
In reply to @besmith57 "Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week..." + (show)
@besmith57

Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week then down to 5mg. I think that is too fast to taper. I take methotrexate {which I don't think is doing anything) plus I've had one injection of Kevzara. Does anyone think that's too fast?

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Yes. My doc did 1mg per month after down to 10mg.

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1 reply
cazwell50 | @cazwell50 | Jun 20 7:07am

Yes, on my right side. Muscle weakness causes freezing so try Pilates.

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besmith57 | @besmith57 | Jun 20 8:13am
In reply to @cazwell50 "Yes. My doc did 1mg per month after down to 10mg." + (show)
@cazwell50

Yes. My doc did 1mg per month after down to 10mg.

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That sounds more reasonable. I see her on Monday so I will be asking a lot of questions.

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megz | @megz | Jun 20 8:59am
In reply to @besmith57 "Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week..." + (show)
@besmith57

Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week then down to 5mg. I think that is too fast to taper. I take methotrexate {which I don't think is doing anything) plus I've had one injection of Kevzara. Does anyone think that's too fast?

Jump to this post

It would be too fast if you were only taking prednisone and following a standard reduction schedule. But taking methotrexate and Kevzara as well suggests you need to get off prednisone more quickly than usual, with those two replacing it. Did you mention having osteoporosis earlier? Your doctor should explain the reasons for the quicker taper.

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1 reply
jmwm | @jmwm | Jun 20 9:19am
In reply to @besmith57 "Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week..." + (show)
@besmith57

Now my doctor wants me to taper from 7.5 mg to 6 mg for a week then down to 5mg. I think that is too fast to taper. I take methotrexate {which I don't think is doing anything) plus I've had one injection of Kevzara. Does anyone think that's too fast?

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Way too fast.

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2 replies
besmith57 | @besmith57 | Jun 20 9:24am
In reply to @megz "It would be too fast if you were only taking prednisone and following a standard reduction..." + (show)
@megz

It would be too fast if you were only taking prednisone and following a standard reduction schedule. But taking methotrexate and Kevzara as well suggests you need to get off prednisone more quickly than usual, with those two replacing it. Did you mention having osteoporosis earlier? Your doctor should explain the reasons for the quicker taper.

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I got back to osteopenia, but I would think I have osteoporosis now. I know I need to get off prednisone. I have only had one injection of the kevzara so far. I will see what she says on Monday. My cousin suggested naltexone also so I will ask about that too.

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besmith57 | @besmith57 | Jun 20 9:26am
In reply to @jmwm "Way too fast." + (show)
@jmwm

Way too fast.

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That's what I thought. I may try alternating every other day.

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prestol | @prestol | Jun 20 11:56am
In reply to @besmith57 "That's what I thought. I may try alternating every other day." + (show)
@besmith57

That's what I thought. I may try alternating every other day.

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I wonder if my tapering schedule is also too fast. I’ve been going down by 2.5 mg every two weeks, which worked ok until I hit 12.5. Now I have increased pain, mostly in the neck, shoulders and both hands (no swelling, just pain across knuckles). My rheum wants me to go back up by 1mg for two weeks, then try again. She is always amenable to me slowing things down. But, I have osteopenia and a heart arrhythmia almost certainly triggered by the initial high dose I needed five months ago (40 for ten days, then 30 for another month or so). I have significant OA in both shoulders and neck, so it is always a challenge to distinguish between that and PMR pain. Any insight or advice is appreciated.

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2 replies
besmith57 | @besmith57 | Jun 20 12:09pm
In reply to @prestol "I wonder if my tapering schedule is also too fast. I’ve been going down by 2.5..." + (show)
@prestol

I wonder if my tapering schedule is also too fast. I’ve been going down by 2.5 mg every two weeks, which worked ok until I hit 12.5. Now I have increased pain, mostly in the neck, shoulders and both hands (no swelling, just pain across knuckles). My rheum wants me to go back up by 1mg for two weeks, then try again. She is always amenable to me slowing things down. But, I have osteopenia and a heart arrhythmia almost certainly triggered by the initial high dose I needed five months ago (40 for ten days, then 30 for another month or so). I have significant OA in both shoulders and neck, so it is always a challenge to distinguish between that and PMR pain. Any insight or advice is appreciated.

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It sounds like you might be tapering too fast. 2.5 mg is a big drop. I know you're worried about the side effects of prednisone,

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1 reply
prestol | @prestol | Jun 20 2:19pm
In reply to @besmith57 "It sounds like you might be tapering too fast. 2.5 mg is a big drop. I..." + (show)
@besmith57

It sounds like you might be tapering too fast. 2.5 mg is a big drop. I know you're worried about the side effects of prednisone,

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Yes. It wasn’t such a big drop when the starting point was 25 mg, but it is much more than 10% now. If the increase helps my symptoms abate, I think I’ll start dropping by 1 mg at that point and perhaps wait a month rather than the two weeks.

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