Connect
How I tapered off Prednisone.
everett02 | @everett02 | 1 day ago
I started on Prednisone three years ago for sciatica, followed by more for a year for PMR, but that was nothing compared to the Ponticelli Protocol I have undertaken the past year and a half for kidney failure. The protocol alternated months of a Chemo drug with Prednisone months. Each Prednisone month began with Predisone injections of 1,000 mg per day for the first three days, Then 100 mg pill each day for the remainder of each month. The total Predisone last year was 27,000 mg. Following this protocol, I dropped rapidly to 20 mg per day. From that point on I dropped one mg per day per month down to 1 mg per day. This last month I used .5mg per day and for the past week, I have taken no Prednisone at all. All I can say is that I have felt more clear headed and energetic this past week than I have felt in years. I still have some remaining side effects but hope to see some improvement in my thin skin. The previous sores are beginning to turn white and some bruising continues, but hopefully will soon improve. It was a long haul but with God's grace, it has hopefully ended!
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.
Connect
I have multiple autoimmune disorders. My first Prednisone dose was more than 30 years ago. I could take 100 mg of Prednisone and taper off again in 4 weeks for some of my autoimmune disorders. I could easily put uveitis and reactive arthritis into remission with high dose Prednisone followed by a fast taper off Prednisone.
When I took Prednisone for PMR, I relapsed every time when I tried to reduce my Prednisone dose. I was unable to taper off Prednisone for 12 years without having a PMR relapse.
The protocol for PMR is "long term" Prednisone followed by a "slow taper." Compared to my other autoimmune disorders, I can't say Prednisone worked well for putting PMR into remission.
Prednisone controlled my symptoms of PMR but never put PMR into remission. However, we are told to take long term Prednisone and "wait until PMR burns itself out."
People should ask how long do they need to wait for PMR to burn itself out? If the answer is more than a year or two they should seek an alternative to Prednisone. I had very few side effects from "short term" Prednisone use. Long term Prednisone use caused me to have many side effects.