Difficulties getting off a medication?

[UnXmas]

Quick question:

I've seen a few posts where people talk about how they're having trouble coming off a medication, and it's clear they don't mean because of a psychological addiction, but I can't work out exactly what it does mean. Do you mean that it's difficult to stop a med because your Crohn's flares again, or does it mean it's difficult to stop because of withdrawal symptoms? Or both?

 

[lsgs]

I'm not sure which type medication you're referring to, but I've had difficulties getting off prednisolone.

At first my taper was too quick. I had a seriously bad 'flare' and couldn't get out of bed, could not get below 15mg. Then the pred dose was increased again and I felt much better. Then I went onto a 1mg per week or every 2 weeks taper and it has been much better, down to 8mg!

I also experienced an increase in side effects at each taper, every time I tapered I would get an recurrence of heart palpitations and tremor.

 

[araceli]

Both. My daughter has hard time getting of prednisone. Due to flare coming back or withdrawal symptoms. Finally we did it.

 

[Jennifer]

Steroids can be hard to come off of especially if you started at a high dose and definitely from long term use because our bodies need to gradually start producing its own natural steroids and because of the possibility of withdrawal symptoms (as mentioned). Yes bringing on a flare or having a flare get worse by coming down/off steroids including other medications is a possibility as well.

Pain medications and Benzodiazepines can also be difficult to come off of due to both mental and physical addiction.

 

[UnXmas]

lsgs - yes, it's steroids the posts were referring to. I think I just got confused because some posts I read were referring to Crohn's flaring and some were referring to withdrawal... but from you answers it seems both can make coming off steroids difficult.

Thanks for the replies.