@carolneedham ok- let’s say I am taking 2 mg each day and I want to taper - I’m going to move in .5 mg increments. So my first goal will be getting from 2 mg down to 1.5 mg. 2 mg would be my “higher dose” (HD) and 1.5 mg would be my new “lower dose.” (LD) - that’s .5 mg lower. Using the schedule I posted, it would look like this:
Step 1 is HD - HD - LD- HD - HD -LD so
Step 1, Day 1 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 1, Day 2 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 1, Day 3 - 1.5 mg (LD)
Step 1, Day 4 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 1, Day 5 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 1, Day 6 - 1.5 mg (LD)
If all is well at this point, I’ll move to
step 2 - HD-LD-HD-LD-HD-LD
Step 2 Day 1 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 2 Day 2 - 1.5 mg (LD)
Step 2 Day 3 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 2 Day 4 - 1.5 mg (LD)
Step 2 Day 5 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 2 Day 6 - 1.5 mg (LD)
If all is well at this point I’ll move to Step 3 - HD-LD-LD-HD-LD-LD so
Step 3 Day 1 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 3 Day 2 - 1.5 mg (LD)
Step 3 Day 3 - 1.5 mg (LD)
Step 3 Day 4 - 2 mg (HD)
Step 3 Day 5 - 1.5 (LD)
Step 3 Day 6 - 1.5 (LD)
Now if all is well, you should be ready to drop the 2 mg and do 1.5 mg every day. If at any step I felt the PMR pain kicking up, I have just stayed at that step for an extra 6 days and so far it has resolved and I could resume tapering.
When you are ready to keep going with the taper, your new higher dose (HD) will be 1.5 mg and your new lower dose (LD) will be 1.0 mg. Just start at step 1 again.
This is a very slow schedule and I started using it when I dropped below 5 mg and kept having flares when I tried to keep tapering down. It has really worked for me! I make myself a little chart so I don’t have to remember and keep straight how much to take each day. I’ll attach a picture of my chart for you. I’m down to .5 mg and will start at Step 1 tapering down to zero next week. I’m super excited about that. I hope this schedule works for you too. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!