Prednisone

I hate this stuff. Now my platelets are absolutely fine but I am left with withdrawal misery. I’m going down 1 or .5mg every 2 weeks. I am down to 3 mg but feeling exhausted, muscles and joints hurt, headaches. My shingles pain came back after a year which I think is related to Rituxan but Dr said from prednisone withdrawal. Anyone have any self help tips-? I would try any special diet or stress reduction, I feel stuck and depressed,

Dru~ From experience, I think you might be tapering too fast if you have such bad symptoms. Have you been on prednisone for a long time? I had to alternate doses each day to weave in the new dose. I've had all those symptoms but was better when I alternated and slowed the taper down. When I felt really bad I would up the dose slightly (less than 1mg) and slow down the taper. But I was on prednisone for a year one time, and then another time tapered after being on it for two years? I think. I was VERY dependent on it so had to go really slow. Had to be especially careful when I got down to 5mg and under- as you know, thats when you'll really feel it. I was depressed for one month after tapering to zero- then the depression lifted and I felt good normal again. It takes time for the adrenals to recover. Also get lots of sleep! An endocrinologist once told me "the only way to heal the adrenals is to sleep". Even now, 2 years later I can't stay up late, I get so fatigued. re diet: getting off sugar helped me with joint pain and pred weight gain. hope you feel better soon!

Coming off prednisolone is awful. I've been on it for 4 years, starting dose 45mg/day. I'm now on 3mg a day. If I cut by more than 0.5mg a month I might as well just stay in bed all day as the withdrawal symptoms are so bad.

And my doctor wanted me to go from 10 to 7.5 in less than 3 months after being on it for 13 years! We're still fighting about it. I can barely move as it is. Dru - I don't have any tips, sorry. I wish I did. I do know that sugar promotes inflammation so cutting that out might help some.

I used a product from integrative therapeutics called cortisone manager the whole time I was on prednisone and for weeks afterwards. I have no idea if it helped but I had no withdrawal symptoms. I hated the prednisone. It made me so depressed and unable to sleep. I did manage to lose weight but that was definately not worth the depression. Anyway. Thought it might be useful to you.

Thank you all for the support. It really does help to have people who know what it is like. I think I will stop the taper until I feel better. Also after school is out and I won’t have to work and get up early. I know sleep does help. Emily, I will check out the cortisone manager, sounds like a great idea. Will cut out sugar instead except for fruit, good idea. Thanks!