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Prednisone withdrawal
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I've been on Prednisone for almost a year and a half now (minus about two weeks where I did get off of it). I am hyper sensitive everytime I withdrawal but this time I'm having the worst time ever. Normally I would have the sweats, the fevers, the chills, the lumpy throat, the low bp, moodiness, severe joint pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea and the works, but I was able to control alot of the withdrawal because I would start bleeding from my UC and knew how to adjust my dose back up or down. Of course, post-surgery I'm not bleeding, just having a really acute withdrawal. Yesterday I couldn't even walk down the hall to my kitchen (between low bp (100/50) and the joint pain) and today so far has been the same.
I've been on a taper for a month at 5 mg at a time for a week at a time. I went down to 15mg on Monday and it's always once I hit under 20mg that it starts sucking my life out of me. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and throw in an extra 5 mg and go back up to the dose I was on. I literally feel like I'm dying right now-- contacted doc's office and haven't heard anything yet. I know they want the dose as low as possible going into my second surgery on Thursday, but it seems super risky to go in with my body so out of whack from this. Does anyone have suggestions? Also if I take painkillers, is that going to make this worse? I hate to mask symptoms that my body is giving me that something isn't right but holy hell this is really something else. Any suggestions? Posted on 11/03/09, 10:11 am |
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Now that you're at 20 (I'd go back to 20) try 1mg a week if you're so sensitive. It really helps. I know it seems like it'll go on for ever, but it really works. My GI would never recommend such big jumps. As a %, 5 is 25% of 20, whereas only 10% of 50 if you get me. You could try 2mg every two weeks instead as this gives your body longer to get used to the changes. 
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Sorry, if you can cope with it you could try 2mg a week until 10mg and then 1mg a week xxx
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I've never even heard of being able to taper that slow- do they make it in 1 or 2 mg doses? That would probably help ALOT. I'd rather it go on a little longer than feeling like this for sure.
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Yes, I always have both in the house and always go really slow from 15mg or 20 depending how bad I've been. It's about the percentages you're reducing.
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fantastic. i'm asking my doc about that and getting on that dose. I love how it takes a patient actually being in misery for them to listen to you and HEAR you say "I have acute withdrawal and hypersensitivity to prednisone." Otherwise they just brush you off and want to do the typical old thing. ARRRRGH.
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kelsey,
I'm so sorry that you are having such a hard time. I have found that my pharmacist knows more about the effects of meds than my doctors. When I was on pred, I found it was easier to control bt asking for 1 mg dose pills to keep on hand. I hope that it helps you.
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When I taper which i'm doing now (was @ 40mg, started in Aug) I am now taking 2.5mg. prior to that I did 5mg for 2 weeks & will prob. go another week on the 2.5mg.
Good Luck
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For the joint and muscle pain( which I have had too) make someone get you BURTS BEES MUSCLE MEND sore muscle relief. It comes in a little green jar and you can get it at Fred Meyers or Bartells or any place that sells Burts Bees stuff. THIS HAS GOTTEN ME THROUGH LIFE ON PREDNISONE. When I put this on at night, it allows me to actually be able to get out of bed in the morning( before this I was having to be lifted out of bed while I was crying and all stove up....pretty embarassing). It actually works for me, I don't know why, but it does. Also, any kind of muscle therapy gel with Arnica in it soaks in and reduces pain.
Good luck, good wishes.
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Pat reduced by 2.5 at a time. Each reduction was for about 2 weeks, then every second day after that.
Good luck, and good thought are with you for Thursday.
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