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Am I Prednisolone dependant??

Jessasha

Jessasha

Hi guys,
I've been on 40mg Prednisolone since I was diagnosed in January.. Tapered down to 5mg on two seperate occasions while trying to get stablized on Imuran and now Methotrexate but after a week on 5mg I have fissures return and other mild crohns symptoms.. This is so frustrating because I am so desperate to be free from Prednisolone after being on it for nearly 4 months, but it looks like I going to have to up my dose again! What do you all think? Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is it a common problem?
I've been on Metho for about 3 weeks..


:sign0085:

Methotrexate 25mmg injections, weekly
Prednisolone 5mg
Salpraz 40mg
Vitamin B12 Injections, Monthly
Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Fish oil
 
Wizbit

Wizbit

Personally I think that starting on 40mg and tapering down to 5mg over only 3 months can cause problems because of either; not being on the highest dose for long enough, or tapering off too quickly.

When I was first diagnosed, I flared-up soon after I had tapered off pred. The initial does was then increased slightly and I tapered off much more slowly. That seemed to do the trick to keep my Chron's under control.
 
Jessasha

Jessasha

Well I saw the GP yesterday and this is what he suggested I do.
2 days 40mg
7 days 10mg
7 days 7.5mg
I'll stay at this dose until Methotrexate kicks in and then continue to taper..
Does anybody else think the jump from 40 to 10 is extreme, I asked the doc but he said it would be fine because is only for short term.? Hmm what have I got to lose..
 
tots

tots

Location
Austin, Texas
I agree with Wizbit- I was, I am guessing what you call dependent on prednisone. I "failed" the taper and was on prednisone for 2-2 1/2 years. I felt better on it but, the weight gain the last couple of months was devastating to me.

Good luck with your meds and keep us posted.

Lauren
;)
 
Jessasha

Jessasha

Thanks Lauren & Wizbit, do you remember what tapering schedule you used to get off of prednisolone out of curiosity.
Many thanks
 
Catherine

Catherine

Moderator
Hi

My daughter started at 30 pred has been tapering by 5 a week. Started with two weeks at 30 then 1 week at 25, got to 15 pain returned back to 30 for 2 weeks, then began tapper again at 5 per week, going down to 5 Tomarrow.

Pred is often used at level of 40 for asthma for 5 days with no tapper
 
C

CassMarie

Tapering off is difficult for most people. I've also been on prednisone since January and I am finally coming off of it. I got down to 20mg pretty quickly (every 2-3 days lowering it 5mg).. now my GI has me going down 5mg every 3 days.. my symptoms have been back since before I started tapering off so the prednisone never really worked for me aside from maybe the first 2-3 weeks but your body is used to the prednisone helping so it may just be that you're not creating the steroid the way you should be again.. your doc will probably be able to help you with the tapering if it's causing you problems.
 
Wizbit

Wizbit

Jessasha said:
Thanks Lauren & Wizbit, do you remember what tapering schedule you used to get off of prednisolone out of curiosity.
Many thanks
Click to expand...
I have never reeeeally tapered off pred in the end… I got down from 30mg / day to 5mg / day after 3 months, but developed ITP (Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura) which, joy of joys, is treated / maintained by prednisolone. I was on 60mg / day for a while.

I have been on pred for about 3 years now and tapering was always an issue as my platelet count dropped dramatically if I reduced my daily dose too quickly. I have been tapering from 30mg / day for over a year and am almost off the pred… 5mg / week(!) now.

Not wanting to scare anyone, but the side effects of the drug, the tapering and the withdrawals are not fun…
 
G

goldenholds

Location
Canada
I have been on prednisone for a few months now, repeatedly doing tapers. My current dose is starting at 40mg for 2 wks, then tapering by 5 mg/week for 7 wks. I will be down to the last week of 5 mg starting tomorrow. The last couple times tapering completely off it were not fun, so I hear your pain. This time around I am taking Humira, and so far so good, so I hope I will be able to get off the prednisone once and for all this time.

One thing I have found somewhat helpful, is to split the dose in half and take twice a day for a few days before you taper down to the next level. This helps even out the tapering over the course of the day. For example, after this week of 5 mgs once daily, I will do a few days of 2.5 mgs twice daily, then 2.5 mgs once daily for a few more days before I stop taking it completey. I found it helps soften the blow. Of course please check with your doctor before you start messing with your dosing, don't do it on my advise.

Goldenholds
 
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Jessasha

Jessasha

Thanks Wizbit and goldenholds,

Wizbit, 3 Years! :( sorry It's taken so long for you.. Your story is exactly why I am starting to worry. It's so different for each one of us, I'm guessing it's trial and error. I mean the doctors can tell us what they think but at the end of the day the last two times haven't worked and the last scedule the GP gave me was a Joke! 2 days on 40mg then 7 days on 10 mg etc etc.. My fissures didn't even look like healing after 2 days, what is the point on dropping down to 10 mg? So I'm already adjusting my pred to 30mg for a week or longer until these fissures go? Even raising 5 mg a week until I see results..
I don't see my GI for a couple more weeks yet, so I'll ask him what he thinks but I'm not holding my breath.
goldenholds, thats really quite smart, I may ask the GI about that and try that next time I get down that low..
Good luck to you both getting off the Pred, I hope this time is a winner!
 
Catherine

Catherine

Moderator
Jessasha

Sarah has stopped her tapper at 10mg for another week due to stomach pains.

Have you rang your GI and left a message saying you have stopped the tapper and why. That what we do with our GI. And we usually get a return call.
 
Jessasha

Jessasha

Hi Catherine,
I haven't rang him because he said to me once before that if the symptoms return it would be ok for me to raise the dose.. So I am assuming that is what he would tell me to do anyway, I probably should ring him... I am waiting for my Methotrexate to kick in as well and I'm only at my 5th injection this week...
I feel impatient about getting of of Pred.. But then I think should I even bother starting to taper until 16 weeks of Metho..(apparently thats how long it can take to be fully effective). I don't know I might ring him..
 
Catherine

Catherine

Moderator
That the same thing as Sarah was told. I was justing think he would have a better idea of how long to stay at the higher dose.
 
Catherine

Catherine

Moderator
That the same thing as Sarah was told. I was just thinking he would have a better idea of how long to stay at the higher dose.
 
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