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Flareups, Prednisone, Tapering
After being diagnosed with PMI, the course of treatment is prednisone or prednisolone. Taking these steroids makes the inflammation, aches and stiffness seem to disappear.
But let’s talk about tapering. When decreasing down to a certain amount, the aches and stiffness reappear. At first you may think it is a flareup but after revisiting the rheumatologist, come to find out this is actually the result of weaning off the steroids. I am finally down to 1 mg. Prednisone daily and am not a happy camper. I am experiencing morning stiffness, and stiffness after sitting too long. I am told this is the weaning process. Some have said this can last for weeks or months.
For those who no longer are taking prednisone, what has been your experience?
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Thanks so much!
Hi! You are doing very well down to 1 mg. I have to be on methylprednisolone rather than prednisone, and it is very hard to taper down because the tablets only come in 4 mg size, no smaller. I am down to 2 mg, which is half a tablet, but it is hard to get that exactly right--sometimes it might be 2.5 or 1.5, depending on the size of the half. Last week I tried to do a few days of 1 mg (1/4 of a tablet), then one day of 2, but I experienced some malaise. I can't tell if that is because of withdrawal or a flare. Over the weekend I was quite unwell, so took 3 mg, and felt much better all the next day. Today I went back to my 2 mg and was fine until this afternoon. I am currently experiencing a hot face and buzzing lips, with minor stiffness on getting out of the chair. I think this is withdrawal, but just don't know. What do you think, having been through this already?