Tapering off Pred?

[AntsMommy]

Hi everyone,

Can someone tell me how weaning off prednisone typically goes, and if this sounds correct?

My son's prescription reads as follows: (10 mg. tablets)

2 weeks - 2 tablets in the AM, 1 in the PM .... then ....
1 week - 2 tablets in the AM, .5 in the PM .... then ....
1 week - Just 2 tablets in the AM ... done.

I guess I just thought it was weird that we gradually reduced the evening dose (which was always the smaller dose anyway) and not the morning dose at all.

Is this normal?

Thank you!!!!

Kelly

 

[DustyKat]

Roo has never been on Pred but it doesn't sound right to me to stop the am dose cold turkey.

Dusty.

 

[AntsMommy]

Thanks Dusty!

I don't have much experience with this, but it doesn't seem right to me either. It seemed strange that we tapered off the pm dose which was the smaller of the two initially, and then just stopped. I was going to call the doctor but I think she is already tired of me, and I feel a little weird calling her and questioning the way she wrote the script.

Yesterday was his last dose and he isn't feeling well already today and I don't know if it is related to coming off the meds or something he is getting.

Anyone else know if this is okay???

 

[DustyKat]

I only have experience with adults and you wouldn't taper one dose and not the other. I understand where you are coming from with the doc so can you speak with your Pharmacist and ask for their advice? If they agree that it doesn't sound right then take the doc to task about it.

Dusty.

 

[Jessica]

I'm always used to it being spread out. But that was a long time ago. And he's only tapering from 20mg to zero? I would definitely check with the pharmacist first, then the doc. That way if the doc's office says it's right you can tell them what your pharmacist said.

Good luck <3

 

[AntsMommy]

Thanks everyone! The suggestion to start with the pharmacist is an excellent idea! Doing so now, will let you know!

Anthony is home from school today. He is feeling very tired and sore all over his body. He has been off the prednisone for 48 hours now.

 

[Nica]

That seems like a really fast taper unless he has not been on pred very long. Long term users generally have to do .5 a week down.

 

[kslade]

It depends on how long he was on it for. Since they are tapering it at all that would lead me to believe that he was on it for longer than a few weeks. To go from 10mg to nothing seems a little harsh. I went from 5mg to nothing and that put me through severe withdrawals. (I was on it for 2-3months). I had a migraine and started to shake. I called my doctor and she said to do 5mg every other day for 1 week, then I could stop from there. It makes sense that if he's coming off it, and he was taking it for inflammation the pain would come back. What you don't want is coming off it too fast that your adrenal glands don't have time to start producing cortisol again. That can cause serious damage, which you don't want.

 

[misterquin]

Sounds too quick to me. As suggested previously, you should probably double check with your GI.

 

[AZMOM]

Yes to what everyone else says. Claire's taper was by 5 mg increments. And when we finally got down to just 5, we even did that every other day for a week before stopping. Definitely worth a call to the doc!!

Claire's Mom