I’ve been on a prednisone taper for almost one year, down to 1 mg.

Tapering can be a difficult challenge. I speak from experience of attempting to taper then suddenly crash! I find myself with a flare up which then requires me to increase my steroid medication to deal with it so I feel for you when you face feelings of discouragement and frustration. I have days when I want to cry because the PMR has completely stuffed my quality of life and mourn what once was and is now a memory.
This last week I have had to spend most of my time resting as the fatigue and weakness has kicked in. Up until a week ago I was dealing with a flare up and increased my steroids (as per the written plan from my GP) to 12mg. As from the beginning of this week just passed have decreased down from 12mg to 11.5mg and that was when the fatigue kicked in. You are not alone in feeling discouraged when things don't go right. Greetings from Dunedin, New Zealand. Carol.

@stonewheel this is some very good advice to the person that has inquired. to hear about the flare at 1 mg My advice is to try to continue to get off the prednisone without adding the biologic at this point. I decided to take the plunge in 2024 and went from 1 mg to zero. Still off prednisone with no biologic.

@tauca838
I tapered from 2mg/p/day to 2 one day & 1 the next alternating in this fashion then flared up: fatigue, stiffness in walking esp after sitting, neck pain. Went up to 2.5 every day. Took a good 2 weeks to get rid of fatigue & neck pain, but have awful stiffness . Taking 2 Acetaminophen a day: 1 in a.m.to get thru my 45 min exercise routine ,& one about 4:00 afternoon
Get little relief from stiffness. Also have fibromyalgia for yrs & always exercised daily no matter how I feel. So, I am wondering about going up in mg to get some pain relief, or stay where I am. Recently inquired to my rummy to get Actemra to get off 6 yrs of prednisone & struggling with 2mg daily for at least the better part of the last 2 yrs. I'm 85 yrs

@dolorescole061 My GP has prescribed Cymbalta to counter act the mood swings with prednisone, it also has relieved alot of my pain. There is a 2 -4 week period before your body adjusts and taper off Cymbalta is worse than prednisone taper. But it helped me alot. Ask your rhuematologist. Good luck

@tauca838
I tapered from 2mg/p/day to 2 one day & 1 the next alternating in this fashion then flared up: fatigue, stiffness in walking esp after sitting, neck pain. Went up to 2.5 every day. Took a good 2 weeks to get rid of fatigue & neck pain, but have awful stiffness . Taking 2 Acetaminophen a day: 1 in a.m.to get thru my 45 min exercise routine ,& one about 4:00 afternoon
Get little relief from stiffness. Also have fibromyalgia for yrs & always exercised daily no matter how I feel. So, I am wondering about going up in mg to get some pain relief, or stay where I am. Recently inquired to my rummy to get Actemra to get off 6 yrs of prednisone & struggling with 2mg daily for at least the better part of the last 2 yrs. I'm 85 yrs

@dlb3 good to hear you are off all medication. Did you had any pain or flareup and if so how long took this to go away without medication? Thanks!

@rhonna Morning, FYI- I had mood swings when I was on a certain brand of Prednisone, I was like the wicked witch of the west! 🙁 I discovered this because family said how awful I was. I realized the pharmacy changed the brand. Pharmacist couldn't believe it and couldn't get the original prescription brand. Switched pharmacy and all it MUCH BETTER!.. Couldn't believe it myself but a big difference.

@istraz34 can I ask what kind? I am on WinPred.

@istraz34 can I ask what kind? I am on WinPred.