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Smallest amount of prednisone for adrenal glands to work again?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Aug 21 7:30pm | Replies (24)Comment receiving replies
My story is similar to the questioner. I appreciate this answer. I am currently at 3mg again after going down to 1.5 a year ago and experiencing great fatigue a flare. I went back up to 5 mg and had a good 4 months at that dose. I am taking my time and taking smaller steps this time. My doctor will only order bloodwork every 2 months and she is pushing for a taper to 2mg after 4 weeks at 3. I want to go slower after my experience last year.
Replies to "My story is similar to the questioner. I appreciate this answer. I am currently at 3mg..."
My story is similar to yours. I originally tapered down and then off of prednisone for PMR a few years ago but recent assaults to my body (infected tooth oral surgery) triggered a flare for which i was prescribed 5 mg prednisone and tapered. I saw my rheumatologist not long after the surgery, and as my inflammation levels were still high, he said he would taper me more slowly. Finally off and after a while began to notice fatigue and some stiffness. The vague symptoms got worse with a couple of days experiencing extreme vertigo. I scheduled a visit and had inflammation levels checked again. He put me on a 2 mg dose until getting the results which showed increased levels, so he upped it to 5. He finally said the words adrenal insufficiency. My endocrinologist is checking my cortisol levels on Monday (today is Friday) to guide the taper. I strongly recommend seeing an endocrinologist as well as a rheumatologist unless your rheumatologist also checks your actual cortisol production. I would love to hear how you and others are managing getting through this treatment period. I have been able to do almost nothing but sit or lie around and am hoping that I will be able to get back to normal activity before much longer.
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@bluebird25
You could try the alternating taper….1 day 4, 2day 3, 3day 4, 4day 3 etc, for 1 week….you are actually at 3.5 dose this way. Give it a week, maybe more.
Thats another way to taper slow.