How did you cope with the side effects tapering off prednisone?

I can relate to this. I notice cognitive changes after 8 months on prednisone. I've had some problems with word-finding before but not completely going blank. I went to the grocery store to get some water chestnuts for an Asian dish I was cooking. I couldn't find them in the International section so headed to another section that has tofu. On the way I got distracted by marinated artichokes and picked up a jar of those. I finally found an employee and when I started asking him where the water chestnuts were my mind went completely blank. He was nice and knew what I was talking about when I described them. No, the store did not carry them!

I am also worried about the thin skin. I am 59 and had very good young looking skin prior to this. I did alot of research and believe we need Retinoids, topical Vitamin C, E and collagen suppliments. So that’s what I’ve started to use. I am going to Dermotologist tomorrow and will ask.

I just purchased Retinoid and vitamin c cream so we shall see. Let me know what your dermatologist says and I will make an appointment with my dermatologist if they have something that will help. Thanks!

I have been on prednisone for 3 yrs i was on a high dose for 6 mths in that time i gained 65 pds and my skin would tear at the slightest bump, my skin has returned to normal now i am on low dose prednisone. My doctor kept saying the skin will improve the BP will go away and the diabetes will improve and it did. I used products that are used on the elderly with skin tears to aid healing, it actually looks normal now with the exception of all the scars from previous tears

I have been tapering now for almost 2 years. I started at 80 mg. and now down to 35 mg. It has been brutal. I have all the side effects listed from Prednisone and now that I am on Hydrocortisone I have all the side effects from this drug. The exhaustion is overwhelming and the headaches are awful. But, every so often, I get a "good " day and it gives me hope. Just keep on going forward.

I too can relate. Tapering off very conservatively (1 month 1/2 mg decrease) had increased pain at 3 mg so jumped back to 5 mg and pain decreased. But tiredness is unreal. I know the adrenals do take time to “wake up” and function again. Brain farts are constant! I’ll do something and completely forget I did it, and do it again. Hence one rather fat cat lol.

I promised my doctor that I would not go up with the steroid even though I am experiencing major headaches, exhaustion, nausea and diarrhea. He told me to take Tylenol for the headaches. I usually take 1000 mg and it helps. But, of late, I take the 8 hr Tylenol ( each pill is 650 mg) and I find this works better. You just should not exceed around 4000 mg of Tylenol (in a day) because you can run into liver problems.

My skin is very thin, too. I usually use liquid bandage.

I never used that one as i worked in geriatric care i have seen so many skin tears on thin skin in the elderly i used the dressings that could be left on to enable healing time. I think anything that works without tearing more skin is a winner

I started last November at 10mg which gave me a lot of relief (and hope) almost instantly. After about 3 weeks it didn’t seem as effective and my rheumatologist increased it to 15. I had energy all through January. The side effects were increased insomnia (a problem I already had) and weight gain. The trouble began when my rheumatologist said I needed to start tapering. I went from 15 to 10 with no problem but when I got below 10 all my pain especially in my shoulders and knees began to come back. I made it down to 7.5 at the beginning of March but at 5mg now I can hardly get around. I play handbells and the movements are so painful for my shoulders and biceps. I am feeling kind of hopeless because it’s also difficult to dress myself. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have to get off the steroids. I just started to experience the skin tears on my left forearm. I wish they would come up with some medicine that does the same thing as steroids without side effects..