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

That's such helpful and sensible information!

Thanks

Thanks! Wish I could take full credit, but it was his rheumatologist who explained about reducing by fewer and fewer milligrams each time because of the proportions 😉 I’m not so great at math. And that’s what gave us the idea to consider dropping by a half or quarter milligram.

I'm just really glad you posted it because I had wondered why so many had been stymied at the single digit dose. I love when things make sense!
I wish this information could be superglued here.

@vellen and @emo, It definitely makes sense and puts the emphasis on listening to your body when tapering off of prednisone. I've posted this tapering plan before but thought I would share it again. It's from the HealthUnlocked site which is another great source for PMR and GCA information.

--- Dead slow and nearly stop reduction plan (Tapering)
https://healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk/posts/131189593/dead-slow-and-nearly-stop-reduction-plan.

Pssst - Anytime you want to superglue a post to find it again, just click the three dots at the bottom right corner of the post or discussion and select Bookmark. Then when you need t find it again, you can go to your Profile & Settings and click Bookmarks at the left to find posts and discussions you have saved.

Good tip though I meant for others to be informed of this. Thanks John.

An excellent tapering discussion. I am tapering between 4mg. and 41/2 mg. Alternating days until I am at the lower level ,a week before decreasing by the 1/2 mg. I began at 40 mg. in November 2022, and now holding at 4 1/2mg.
My question is ,is damage being done when the pain creeps back in? Today at 4mg. I had soreness in my neck and shoulders. By 10a.m. the pain was completely gone, and I am pain free at 2:30pm. I chose to not take a Tylenol , and after my morning walk the pain was gone.
I will see my doctor in August, and I expect blood work to determine the inflammation rate.
I don't mind a bit of pain but I do not want to damage myself if pain has a relation to damage occurring.
Mary Rose

I have also been noticing some morning neck ache as well a migraine the past four mornings. I think the neck pain is a trigger. It doesn't last longer than the migraine med (Imitrex) to treat it, which is approx 15 mins so I'm not too concerned about it.
I would consider splitting your dose 12 hours and go with 2 1/4 twice per day. If you figure the percentage of decrease as we posted earlier, it's pretty big.

Thanks! I hope this will help someone.

Good or bad, even before my dad's diagnosis of PMR I'd already been on the "low and slow" bandwagon for years because I have central sensitivity syndrome. Thankfully we were able to apply that experience to helping my dad. But it seems for people newer to it, plus all the anxiety or reluctance to take or prescribe prednisone even when it's needed, and the very real desire to get off it as quickly as possible...it can be really hard to slow the roll.

I love the name: "Dead slow and nearly stop reduction plan"!

Has anyone taken Vitamin B5 or B12 to help with Adrenal fatigue while tapering Prednisone for PMR?