A Downside to Tapering Prednisone - Mosquito Bites

I'm in Michigan on 10 mg of Prednisone and have had 2-3 mosquito bites this Summer. That's pretty normal for me and as usual, they itch.

I'm answering my own question, but I found this on Google:

"Mosquito bites typically trigger an inflammatory response in the body, leading to redness, swelling, and itching. Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by suppressing the immune system and reducing inflammation. Therefore, if you're taking prednisone, especially at higher doses, your body's reaction to mosquito bites may be lessened or potentially even absent.

Specifically, Prednisone may reduce the swelling and itchiness associated with mosquito bites because it acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Some individuals on high doses of prednisone have reported that they don't experience mosquito bites at all, or their bites don't cause the usual reaction they would normally experience. However, the extent to which the reaction is suppressed can depend on the prednisone dosage and individual sensitivity. "

For the last 2 summers I have been on 6-7 mg prednisone. I have had a pretty normal (for me) reaction to poison oak and to mosquito bites. It might be a little less but not by much. Now I'm on Actemra as well. Last week I got 2 yellowjacket stings. I'm outdoors a lot. I was hoping for less of a response than usual but the bites swelled up and were red over a large area and 10 days later I'm finally not feeling the bites. I think prednisone dose makes a big difference. I'm more worried about ticks since getting Lyme Disease with any level of decreased immunity would not be good!

My brother-in-law has had PMR for about 12 years. He has been taking methotrexate to treat it. He's almost 77. A couple of months he got sick and his doctors thought it was a PMR flare. But he kept getting sick again after receiving treatment. They finally diagnosed him with PJP pneumonia. That disease is caused by a fungus, and was a big problem in the early days of AIDS. It's still a risk for people with suppressed immune systems. Most of my brother-in-law's doctors have never seen a case of that disease. They told him he was lucky to catch it in time, because it can be life-threatening.

Absolutely. Last summer I was on a higher dose of prednisone and became very aware that I was not being attacked by mosquitoes. They would land then leave. Or maybe my body just wasn't reacting as it would normally.
This summer, I am down to 3.5 mg and, yes I am back to getting eaten by the skeeters. It was nice while it lasted. Glad I am not the only one who noticed.