anyone successful in getting off pred?

[thesedays]

I'm noticing my "flares" happen everytime I'm on 2.5 mg of pred for longer than 3 days ...I then have to up it back to 5, sometimes 7.5 and then try again.

Has anyone been successful in getting off this? How long did it take?

It seems like plaquenil isn't even working, it's just the pred because I can't get off it.

I didn't get the weight gain, but I'm very HAIRY now !!!

I just want off it, now !!

Please share your stories on how you did it / how long it took, etc.

[ToBeFreeToRoam]

Hi thesedays,

I think we have talked before about this problem. It is very hard to get off of Prednisone!!! Plus the side effects. I do not have the hair problem. But, gained the 20 lbs.

I cannot remember when my rheumy told me to start knocking back my pred. amts. But, she put me on methotrexate about 3 mo. ago. Probably about that same time?

I know I was taking 2 Prednisone every morning (possibly more during an old flare, many many months ago). I take the Methotrexate 1 time a week and have upped it every month, til now. Now I am taking 6 methotrexate 1 time a week.

Well, so far, I have taken 2 pred., 1 day and 1 pred, the next. Then 2 pred., 1 day and 1 pred. the next. And so on. I talked with my Rheumys nurse today and was told to drop back to 1 Prednisone every day.

When I first started doing the dropping of the dose, I could really feel it. It does make you hurt, bad!!! But, I just bear it and try not to do too much or talk to much, or something nasty might come out of my mouth! :> I imagine the next few weeks will be bad too. I do have a light pain med. and a muscle relaxer in addition to the Methotrexate - plus I still take Relafen. I am making it, but sure is not easy. I just have to get off of Prednisone.

I have my daughters wedding trip and her reception 2 weeks later coming up, so I will be on the 1 x each day, for probably 1 month or more. No more dropping the dose for a while. Also, I cannot go back up on my dosage, because I am sure that if I asked my rheumatologist would not give me more meds. She is very good but very straight forward.

Sorry I was not much help. I probably have told the above, before.

Wannabe

[thesedays]

Thanks !!

Yes, it's very hard to get off. At least I'm down to 2.5 mg (sometimes), but it seems I can't go longer than 3 - 4 days on the 2.5 mg and then have a severe flare and have to up it back to 5 mg !! It's very frustrating.

Doesn't it seem like the plaquenil is not working if I just get worse when I lower the pred?

My doc discussed methotx. and said maybe we should "try" it, I wasn't ready and asked to stay on the plaquenil until my next visit.

I was so hoping this would just go away since all my blood work is normal, but I guess it's not going to work out that way !!