Connect
← Return to How to Slowly and Safely Taper Off Prednisone but ... no set rules.
Discussion
How to Slowly and Safely Taper Off Prednisone but ... no set rules.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (65)Comment receiving replies
I'm hardly one to be giving you advice if you got down to 2mg in December. I'm currently on 5mg and will start a graduated taper to 4.5mg in a few days. I've reduced by .5mg since 10mg, as the rule of thumb is to reduce prednisone by no more than 10% of the dose at a time.
The best teacher of what we should do is our own experience. The pace you've reduced successfully in the past will tell you how to do it this time. My own experience has told me to be extra careful approaching where a flare has occurred in the past and to be prepared to slow the reductions and make them more gradual at that point. Fortunately, this time I cruised past 6.5mg where the previous flare occurred, by using the graduated reduction. My doctor has told me not to hesitate to take an extra week on a particular reduction if I need to. I haven't done that so far, but have it up my sleeve just in case.
Replies to "I'm hardly one to be giving you advice if you got down to 2mg in December...."
"The pace you've reduced successfully in the past will tell you how to do it this time."
------------------
I agree with this statement except that I had more than 20 years of experience with tapering off Prednisone from my usual 60 mg down to zero to achieve remission of uveitis. I taught myself how to taper Prednisone after my ophthalmologist gave me some suggestions. I was able to successfully taper off Prednisone so many times, my ophthalmologist documented in my medical records, "The patient is very skilled with prednisone tapers."
I must have lost my tapering skills after PMR was diagnosed. I never could taper off Prednisone successfully for 12 years after PMR was added to my mix of problems. What I learned from my experience was that there is a huge difference between taking Prednisone on a short term basis compared with taking it long term.
I would modify your statement to include something that says that successful tapering also needs to consider everyone's own personal circumstances. Except for a few general guidelines, there isn't any single best way to taper off Prednisone for treating PMR because everyone has a different set of circumstances.
Connect
I can take away many things from your feedback, so thanks so much for your detailed reply!