Prednisone taper how fast?

[Rene]

I was put on this 3 weeks ago for possible MS or Myopathy , they can'gt decide.Difficulty walking foot drop. Have gained over 6lbs and have a moon face. I used to be SKINNY now I eat everything thats not nailed down. I have tapered from 30mg twice a day to 30mg am and 10 mg pm. Drop a little and told to reduce dose every 5 days. I can't wait. Not sure if any benefits, still so weak. Off work ( will I ever return?)
What will happen if I cut does even faster?

[Lakota]

Is there anyone out there that has had good effects from prednisone without all the bad? i have been on it 3 days and i am already regretting it. i typed in my yahoo home page"coming off prednisone" and found this site. from all the postings, i know im not going crazy and the palpitations are not in my head. the comments are somewhat scary, but i need to know the truth. after just 3 days , i should be getting off this train, while im ahead, agree?

[Andrew]

The most dangerous drug ever known and invented! You just can take it if it's question of life! I had been taking it for RA for 3 months and stopped gradually. It does not matter! I developed extremely high blood pressure, weakness, panic attacks, depression! Practically it ruined my normal life! Doctors have no clue how to deal with its devastating side effects. DO NOT TRUST DOCTORS! They will never tell you the truth how dangerous this DEVIL's prednisone is!!!

[Andrew]

Are you aware about short and long term side effects of this Devil's drug??? Of course, everybody reacts differently while take or withdraw. But there are high number of people who react terribly bad!!! Doctors do not want to recognize and discuss this. They just keep silent... Do you know exactly how Prednisone works??? Nobody knows this for sure, even doctors!!! From my personal experience, and despite gradual withdrawal, I developed extremely high blood pressure, weakness, panic attacks, depression! Practically it ruined my normal life! Doctors have no clue how to deal with its devastating side effects. Steroids are not selective. When you take a steroid, the drug infiltrates the nucleus of every single one OF YOUR CELLS AND STARTS MONKEYING AROUND WITH GENES IT FINDS THERE!!! It probably plays with hundreds of genes. And just a small number of these genes control the pain and inflamation associated with inflamatory diseases, so steroids turn many of these genes off which is good thing. However, because steroids sre not selsctive, they also regulate the genes that control kidney, liver, BRAIN, and HEART function - which is not good thing!!! It is likely that steroid treatment plays with other genes, too, including those we do not know about a lot right now...So, Prednosone pervades the entire body, which increases the likelihood of short-term side effects and long-term DAMAGE. My advice is: THINK TWICE BEFORE TAKING PREDNISONE!!!

[Millie]

andrew just how long did you take them and how high was the dose?

[millie]

i see now where you took it 3 months but after you stopped did the blood p shoot up? im wonder ing about the aftereffects.

[Andrew]

Millie wrote:

andrew just how long did you take them and how high was the dose?

Hi! I had been taking Prednisone for 3 month starting with 7.5mg. But it does not matter - when you exceed 5mg your body stops producing own adrenalin and your adrenal glands just become "lazy". When you start reducing the dose, it's a BIG QUESTION how long it will take for their recovery!!! And you,of course, will feel all "amenities" of weaning process including extreme fatigue, mood changes (sometimes even psychisis), panic attacks, depression, high blood pressure, rapid hertbeat and other well known side effects.Some people, including me, may need up to ONE YEAR to get back to normal physically and mentally! Again: IT'S VERY VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE DRUG!!! Always ask for other options(opinions) before you get cought and use common sense not just doctor's opinion. It's your body not doctor's...

[Deborah]

Wow. I was curious about side effects for prednisone, since I've never really had any, and stumbled across this site. Granted, I take it for ONLY 6 days at a time, and have only taken 3 'doses' over the past 5 years, but for me it's a wonder drug. I've have chronic pain from 5 herniated discs in my lower back for the past 10 years, and although I manage the pain well on a day-to-day basis, a 'flare up' only diminishes with a steroid. At 31 years old, I can't live with the massive debilitating pain caused by my discs, so this is really the only solution. The only side effects I have ever noticed are an increased appetite, and a slight elevation of mood. But again, I start off with a fairly small dose and taper it over only a 6-day period.

[smokin Joe]

I stopped taking predisone 2 day ago, after taking it for years due a kidney transplant. The kidney has since failed, and I gradually tapered down. I have been having the shakes for 2 days now? Is this normal?

[Andrew]

smokin Joe wrote:

I stopped taking predisone 2 day ago, after taking it for years due a kidney transplant. The kidney has since failed, and I gradually tapered down. I have been having the shakes for 2 days now? Is this normal?

Go check all Prednisone side effects at http://www.medications.com/

[Angela]

I started prednisone May 7, 2008 @ 50mg. daily. On June 27, 2008 I went to 45mg. daily ... and now another 5mg. drop to 40mg. daily as of July 12, 2008. The pattern is... 5mg. drop every 2 weeks. I should be off prednisone completely by the end of October. Other than being tired a few days after a drop I am not really having problems. The reason for the prednisone prescription... I was diagnosed April 08 with dermatomyositis. It's a very rare muscle disease. I also take plaqenil and methotrexate. If you have any questions... please email me...
angelacunningham@zoominternet. net

[Stephanie]

I just started yesterday taking a very small dose of Prednisone to treat symptoms for SLE only 10mg for 4 weeks 1x daily then 7.5mg for 4 more weeks 1x daily. Do you think i'll have those horrible side effects it being such a small dose and for only 2 months.??? I am so scared and worried about all the horrible effects I hear. I am also taking plaquenil once a day along with that.

[lilaclady]

Stephanie wrote:

I just started yesterday taking a very small dose of Prednisone to treat symptoms for SLE only 10mg for 4 weeks 1x daily then 7.5mg for 4 more weeks 1x daily. Do you think i'll have those horrible side effects it being such a small dose and for only 2 months.??? I am so scared and worried about all the horrible effects I hear. I am also taking plaquenil once a day along with that.

You will not have the side effects taking that low of a dose for a short period.
Don't worry!!

[Tim]

All people react differently to medication. Andrew obviously did not react well to it, but that doesn't mean it's the devil's drug and no one should try it. Prednisone has some serious side effects and it should be taken only after careful consideration. However, there are medical conditions out there that are serious enough that the benefit of prednisone out weigh the risks and side effects.

I have taken prednisone (up to 40 mg a day) several times over the last 10 years for colitis, and it has been a miracle drug. I have suffered several side effects from the drug, but they were peanuts compared to the pain my disease was causing. My doctor tries to abvoid using it, and he has me ween off of it as quickly as possible....but when my symptoms were bad enough, it had to be used.

If it Prednisone doesn't work for you, try something else.

[lilaclady]

Tim wrote:

All people react differently to medication. Andrew obviously did not react well to it, but that doesn't mean it's the devil's drug and no one should try it. Prednisone has some serious side effects and it should be taken only after careful consideration. However, there are medical conditions out there that are serious enough that the benefit of prednisone out weigh the risks and side effects.
I have taken prednisone (up to 40 mg a day) several times over the last 10 years for colitis, and it has been a miracle drug. I have suffered several side effects from the drug, but they were peanuts compared to the pain my disease was causing. My doctor tries to abvoid using it, and he has me ween off of it as quickly as possible....but when my symptoms were bad enough, it had to be used.
If it Prednisone doesn't work for you, try something else.

What you said is true BUT there are also other things that work as well or better.
I was on prednisone for 5 years believing I'd never get off it.
Now it's on my list of drugs I am allergic to.
That's because I'll never take it again!!
Yes it helped but the side effects caused other problems.
There are alternatives to prednisone. It is the devils drug!!

[Jan Boase]

I am now coming off the damned drug, too.....I took it for six days, and gradually tapered off from three a day , to two, to one, to none.......I am shaky and feeling odd, but it did help me when I had a bad reaction to an epidural that I was given........Its been four days now since I took myself off it completely, but still shaky and anxious.......never again!

[lilaclady]

Jan Boase wrote:

I am now coming off the damned drug, too.....I took it for six days, and gradually tapered off from three a day , to two, to one, to none.......I am shaky and feeling odd, but it did help me when I had a bad reaction to an epidural that I was given........Its been four days now since I took myself off it completely, but still shaky and anxious.......never again!

After 6 days the prednisone wouldn't give you any side effects.
Try 5 YEARS and then come back and tell how you're feeling.

[sue]

all my drs. have been very straight with me on the evils of prednisone and how they know sometimes it is the only choice. they hate it too. always taper slow, do not just suddenly go off, you can rebound. find a sr. you trust and read alot.

[Susan]

My Doctor says it is simply safe if you take 52 pills you start at 40mg for 3 days and taper off 5mg a day after that 40 40 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 I take 5mg pills (very tiny pills) I take them for ten days and taper off He said it is safe to do every couple months. AND I HAVE USED IT I WOULD SAY 8 times already in the past few years sometimes it is the only thing that kicks me out of my flares from OA and I have NO SIDE EFFECTS actually I FEEL SO SO WONDERFUL PAIN FREE ON THEM HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL.I havent gained any weight or havent lost any hair Im 46 he said it is safe at this rate. SO FAR SO GOOD

[lilaclady]

Susan wrote:

My Doctor says it is simply safe if you take 52 pills you start at 40mg for 3 days and taper off 5mg a day after that 40 40 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 I take 5mg pills (very tiny pills) I take them for ten days and taper off He said it is safe to do every couple months. AND I HAVE USED IT I WOULD SAY 8 times already in the past few years sometimes it is the only thing that kicks me out of my flares from OA and I have NO SIDE EFFECTS actually I FEEL SO SO WONDERFUL PAIN FREE ON THEM HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL.I havent gained any weight or havent lost any hair Im 46 he said it is safe at this rate. SO FAR SO GOOD

I agree that it does work but I got stuck on it for 5, yes FIVE years!!
I was taking as much as 60mg a day to as little as 20mg a day.
Taking it the way you described won't make you gain weight or lose your hair etc.
The side effects of long term use are awful. I'll never take it again!! I'll claim to be allergic to it before I'll ever take it again!!