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I have been on prednisone 9 weeks and am having a very rough time. Fast taper every two days, 40mg to 30mg to 20mg to 17.5 to 15 to tryfor for 2weeks but bottomed out at about 10 days and had to go back to 20mg. Did that for 2 weeks now at 17.5 for another week. I want to get off this horrendous roller-coaster. Speaking with my rhuemy later in the day, will discuss including a biological or a slower taper to 17 mg next week. I'm just not doing well with this whole prednisone ride. I feel like I've been awake for 6 months with strobe lights shining in my eyes and open electrical cords through my whole body. I'm scared and tired and angry and sad and at a loss
Replies to "I have been on prednisone 9 weeks and am having a very rough time. Fast taper..."
@carolneedham I agree with dadcue. You need to find your lowest possible dose. I suspect that is what your Dr. is trying to do. Prednisone is a nasty long term drug but it works at the right dosage. If I understand , only being on for 9 weeks is usually not enough time for PMR . I was on for 6 months and felt lucky the PMR went into remission. Find a LPD then maybe switch to a biologic for longer term use.
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@carolneedham
I understand those feelings. Rather than a roller-coaster ride my rheumatologist recommended a "stable Prednisone dose" that worked. I hated the roller coaster but I got used to the stable ride on a stable dose of Prednisone.
Twelve years later was when I got off Prednisone after a biologic was tried. It took me another year to taper off Prednisone after the biologic was started. My biggest regret was not starting the biologic sooner, That would have spared me a lot of prednisone and countless relapses. A slower taper ended in a relapse too and prolonged the time I took prednisone.
I remember someone telling me Actemra (tocilizumab) was "nothing more than an expensive steroid sparing medication and taking Prednisone would be better and less expensive." I would recommend trying the biologic to see if it works or not, It might not work completely but it should decrease the need for so much Prednisone. I was lucky and haven't needed any Prednisone for 6 years.