Connect
← Return to Prednisone Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms
Discussion
Prednisone Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Aug 16 3:11pm | Replies (66)Comment receiving replies
To hopeinal,
Just to clarify, I was not on prednisone for 50 years! It was off/on short term (usually 1-3 weeks) during this time for my asthma. My arthritis actually went into remission for 20 years and I didn’t need prednisone during that time! With PMR, I’ve had to take more long term doses for the last two years. Currently on my 2nd flare up of PMR. ☹️🥲
Still, it is a long time dealing with this medication and it did leave me with osteoporosis and thin skin!
Replies to "To hopeinal, Just to clarify, I was not on prednisone for 50 years! It was off/on..."
I'm tapering again nut only down to 9mg so far this time. I've been hitting a wall when I get to 6 or 7. Just oredered some geri gloves from Amazon that I hope will keep me from looking like I've been run over by a train. lol
Connect
What doses of Prednisone did you take for asthma? My first dose of Prednisone was at the age of 32 for reactive arthritis. I had recurrent painful flares of reactive arthritis which were overshadowed by flares of uveitis which accompanied the inflammatory arthritis pain.
An ophthalmologist treated the flares of uveitis with anywhere between 60-100 mg of prednisone. My uveitis responded well to high dose prednisone and I could always taper off quickly in 3 to 5 weeks. I did these bursts of high dose Prednisone followed by a fast taper many times --- probably 35 times for flares of uveitis alone during a 20 year period.
I quickly learned that my painful flares of inflammatory arthritis responded the same way. I always had Prednisone which was prescribed for uveitis leftover so I self medicated any additional flares of reactive arthritis with bursts of Prednisone. I was probably doing Prednisone bursts 4-5 times per year. Each Prednisone burst was a month of Prednisone. The rest of the time I wasn't taking any Prednisone.
I was 52 when PMR was diagnosed in addition to reactive arthritis. I thought I could treat PMR with a Prednisone burst for a month or two. I did 30-40 mg of Prednisone and tried to tapered off in a month or two. That didn't work for PMR. I didn't understand PMR would required 1-2 years of Prednisone instead of 1-2 months. My rheumatologist clarified it and said PMR was treated with "long term" Prednisone. However, long term Prednisone for PMR was 12 years for me until Actemra was started.
I didn't have too many problems when I was taking Prednisone on a "short term basis" for uveitis. Prednisone on a "long term basis" for PMR was another matter and characterized by many side effects and medical problems.