I’m currently on 7 1/2 of Pred daily, and can’t seem to get any lower although I have had a few attempts. Over the summer I’ve had cataract surgery and lens implants which I’m really happy with. however something strange happened. The second op was done by a different hospital and the 1 % Pred forte drops they gave me had to be given 4 times a day for a fortnight, and then twice a day for another fortnight. It was of a rather ‘gloopy’ consistency and quite a bit ended up on my eyelids or my face. During this time I was trying to drop to 7 and then to 6 1/2of my pred dose using the DSNS method, and seemed to be having some success. However that side side of my face got a little fatter which I thought was odd. I stopped the drops after a month as instructed and started getting the usual aches and pains of withdrawal so went back up to 7 1/2. Since then I have experienced severe fatigue, also depression, balance problems, light headedness, painful joints, lack of concentration, and feelings of panic. I’ve started taking Vit B12 to see if it helps, but no. So I’m wondering just how much my dose might have actually been increased by the drops and if so what I should do to get back to ‘normal’ or as normal as we ever are on pred. Would welcome any opinions, thanks.
It can be absorbed through the skin. Maybe worth discussing with doctor or pharmacist given the changes you noted after you stopped the eye drops. You might need to consider that small extra amount was enough to get your body used to a higher dose, so has to be factored into a new taper to get back to where you were.
Topical and inhaled steroids do get absorbed into the body. Which suggests that eye drops could too. As Anhaga suggests it could have been enough to cause the problem. Though it is also equally possible you were JUST on the borderline and they kept you OK, now they aren’t there, you aren’t.
Thank you Anhaga . Would you go up a bit at a time till you felt OK, or just make a jump up to say, 10 mg?
Thank you Eileen, I would ask you the same question…should I go back up gradually till I feel OK, or choose a number such as 10 and start from there downwards?
I’m really not able to get below 7mg comfortably yet..
Priscilla, it is not a race take your time in the long run without a bad flare you probably consume less Pred. Let your body stabilize the inflammation. Good luck with a smile. 
Difficult to say - I’d have thought 2mg would be plenty, maybe even 1mg since adding 2 takes you to almost 10mg doesn’t it?
Thank you Michdonn, I have gone back up to 9 mg today and already feeling an improvement. My smile is coming back!
Thanks Eileen, I’ve gone for adding 1 1/2 and feeling a lot better today, so will carry on with 9 for a bit. It’s just a bit disconcerting when you don’t know what the actual dose has been with the eyedrops added, and there’s no way of finding out.
Having tried both methods I would go up by 5 mg for a couple of days, or more if needed, then taper back quite quickly to a level just above where I’d flared. Going up slowly results in an overall higher intake of pred.
Priscilla, if you are PMR pain free and feeling good you might want to try decrease at the same rate as you increased. It as you can go up and down quickly, but you must stabilize the inflammation. Good luck, keep smiling.
That’s why a bit of experimentation is called for! It is also possible that the entire situation has upset the immune system too.
Due to Glaucoma in both eyes I have recently had them operated on. Cataracts removed in both and 3 stents in my right eye, and two stents in my left one. My second eye was done in August, and at this point I had got down to two Pred before the operation to help with the pressures. However my first eye that was operated on is great, but the other has a high pressure of 27 - my eye surgeon would like it to be around 15, so I have to use eye drops to try to bring it down again. Not steroid drops! I stayed at two Pred for two weeks, but could not stand the pain, so went back up to 15, which is the lowest dose that got rid of the pain. Went down to 10 after three days, and then down again to 5 after 7 days. This was six weeks ago, and so far so good. Just had a good result from my blood test, so my GP says to try coming down slowly again. I intend to use the slow reduction method this time. I too had to use quite a lot of steroid drops, but never thought they might affect the steroid tablets. As well as the 5 Pred a day I also take a Tumeric and Honey tablet, which for me seems to work very well, so I shall continue with this to see how it goes when i start to come down again starting tomorrow.
Thank you Rosemary. Interesting that your quick jump up and subsequent reduction has worked for you. I hope you get on well with your taper.