Is This a Safe Taper as Prescribed by my doctor?

Posted by myrlyn3b @myrlyn3b, Feb 14 7:48am

I’ve been on prednisone for about 18 months trying to taper. I was down to 7.5 mg daily in December but totally debilitated with PMR pain. I couldn’t walk at all, couldn’t get my socks or shoes on, could barely get in or out of bed, was totally housebound etc. in excruciating pain. All around the hip girdle. Ultrasound showed tendinitis, bursitis, endesopathy all in joints and muscles.
The only advice my doctor ever gave me was to get off prednisone as fast as possible.
I told him I can’t live like this and must go up to a higher dosage.
He’s prescribed the pills now by telling me to go to 40 mg for 4 days, then 30 mg for 4 days, then 20 mg for 4 days, 10 mg for 4 days, then 1 mg for 5 days and I’m done!
Would I not be in adrenal crisis if I did this after being on prednisone for so long?

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joan7 | @joan7 | Feb 23 10:41pm

WAY TOO FAST!!! Need a new doctor. Is this per a Rheumatologist? Through my experience, it was a pretty fast taper from 60 mgs right to 40 mgs. But dropping in dose was for a month period of time for each. Then from 40 mg to 30 mg and then from 30 to 20 mg. By the time I was at 15 mg they had to reduce the amount of tapering mgs because I started having severe pain. So I hung at 15 mgs for a little longer and the pain subsided after 4 days (my doctor allowed me to take Advil for 2 days, 1 dose per day and it really helped). From 15 to 10 mg. Then from 10 to 7.5, then from 7.5 to 5. Then from 5 to 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 mg, and 1 month for each one of these. It took me over a year but I am now successfully off Prednisone for 5 months now. It's a process, not a race.