Standard prednisone taper

[kel]

Assuming I start with 40 mg, how should I taper off? Iirc my previous GI had me do 4 weeks at 40, 2 weeks at 30, 2 weeks at 20, 2 weeks at 10 mg, 2 weeks at 5 mg.

I'm not 100% positive that was how I did it so I'm asking here for your experience.

 

[akduck]

Hi Kel, I had to do a fast Pred taper last June so I would be off of it 7 days before surgery. The dr wanted to to drop 5mg at a time, and I could not go from 15 to 10 - really messed me up! So I did a 2.5 mg drop every three days, and that worked very well. I hope this helps!

 

[kel]

Thank you for your response! However I know for sure I've done 10 mg decrements and they did not bother me. How long were you on it before surgery?

 

[akduck]

I was on it from April 10 (when I had an obstruction that perforated and abscessed) until June 27th. I was on 40mg from 4/10, and had tapered down to 15 by June 12th, and that was 5 mg at a time, but when I went to 10mg from 15mg, I got really weird feeling. Dr told me to go back to 15 and drop 2.5 every few days and that worked.

 

[kel]

Ok thank you. I hope your health is better now.

 

[CrohnsChicago]

your taper will vary depending on your GI and how well you are responding to it.

At some points I have tapered down every .5mg. Other times I have toggled between .10mg and .5mg. Discuss this with your doctor and always monitor your symptoms and report anything out of the ordinary or any significant side effects to your GI as that will help him determine if you are tapering properly based on the severity of inflammation for that specific flare and based on your past experience on prednisone.

 

[TwinkleToes]

I'm currently on a 5mg taper per week. I'm currently at 30mg and today I go down to 25. Next Thursday I go down to 20...etc.

I can't wait to get off. I haven't slept well at all. I'm so tired.

 

[kel]

I know a lot of people have insomnia from it.

Maybe I'm just crazy, but when I was first diagnosed and put on prednisone that was the best sleep I got in weeks. Works wonders when you don't have to get up for the bathroom 20 times a night.