I have found that since reducing my pred i feel more tired, i have had a busy two days, and last night went to bed at 11pm woke to go to the loo at 3, then waoke up at 8.45am never done this before, so i now know TAKE IT EASY when reducing.
Hi Margaret, like yourself I have been reducing down to 10mg from 12.5mg and I am so tired, so tired that I don't have the energy to lift the phone and make a phone call to make appt, with dr. Unlike yourself, I haven't been busy, I realy don't have the energy to do anything. No pain as such but zero energy, I am putting it down to reducing that was 1st June. Good luck. Regards Pat
Hi Margaret!
i think dare both at about the same stage. Last I saw you were reducing to 9mg using Eileen's DSNS method. Have you got there?
There's no 'dare' in it!! That should say ' I think that we are both at the same stage' ...
I am als o reducing from 10 mg am at 9 feel spacey and tired I started taking pred at 6 pm because I could't handle the side effects during the day. I am now in the process of SLOWLY backing the dosage to the morning.I have found from my mistakes that any incremental change you make while taking this drug has a huge impact on how you feel.Slow is always the way to go.If you research the adrenal gland and see all that it controls in your body you really get a better idea of why you feel so bad when you make changes in dosage or time taken.Oddly Drs don't warn you of the side effects at least mine didn't just take this and then reduce The dead slow method is best after you get to 10.Good luck just know that you are not alone on this journey.
I take my Pred after food at about 9pm and found that I was less tired in the day and less stupid! Since I started this latest reduction to 9mg I have been going to bed earlier and sleeping much longer, anything from 9-12 hours!... Hahaha... It's great! It's not every night but enough to bring me great joy...
I am reducing from 10mg to 7.5 and have never experienced the fatigue and depression end of it before. Fatigue frankly has not been a part of my PMR journey previously and I "feel" this is Pred-related. "Normally," I would exercise more to boost mood but that is not currently an option. I appreciate the reminder that this is related to chemical that is in my body and that it will balance out. I have always taken Pred at 8 a.m. Never thot about taking it in the evening. It gives me insomnia. I wonder if I switched to evening if it would help. Seems counter-intuitive. (how does one switch)
The reduction of the dose is quite an insult to your body - and it will protest in most people. Some people are luck but generally the slower you can do it, the smaller the steps, or at least the % change in the dose, the better. It helps to keep it at not more than 10% of the current dose - that is 1mg at 10mg, 1/2mg at 5mg. And for some people this will hapen with every dose reduction, not just below 10mg - hence the dead slow and nearly stop concept right from the start at 15mg. It avoids the shock to the system - and if it takes a week or two more does it matter if you don't spend a week wondering why you feel rubbish?
Once you are below 10mg/day you are into the realm where your body has to wake up and do it for itself again - it's probably nearer 8mg but for some this stage will come sooner. And that causes fatigue - give your body a chance.
Hi Sheilamac not yet about another 7 days to do at nine, taking it slow as the last 5 days have been up and down.
stop bragging, i take my pred at 8.30am as thats what the doctor said, i dont feel spacey but just tired, also i have noticed some things have dissapeared that i got at 10mg, fingers crossed, but i still get pain and aching in right temple, ohhhhh i noticed my cheeks ache as well thats new.
I will thank you , i am going on holiday in four weeks and dont want to be reducing nera it would it be beneficial to stay at 9 while on holiday.
When I asked my doctor about the side effects when first prescribed pred, he said there were too many to mention!
There are 82 listed side effects - we reckon we've identified at least 2 more that we can't see...
Definitely...
It's so good to know I am not alone - I have just reached the 10 mg dose of preds and for the past 2 weeks I have suffered from terrible fatique and muscle pain - I followed the "go slow and stop" reduction plan against my Dr. wishes - he now wants me to reduce the preds by 1mg monthly and then off the medication completely as I suffer from many side-effects and I am 89 yrs old. I try to walk for 20 mins daily but feel as if I have done a marathon! Hope you feel more energetic soon.
You have fatigue and pain and your doctor wants you to reduce faster? I think you may need a new, more relaistic doctor. This is also the point at which you REALLY need a slow reduction.
Good luck
Sorry - realistic...
That's quite a big jump from 10 to 7.5. Much more than 10%. Maybe that's why you aren't feeling so good. I am only going down to 9. Feels enough to my body.
I did my switch of times over 2 days. someone else on the forum suggested it because my brain fog and fatigue became a huge problem in the afternoons. It has worked for me. I still have a degree of fatigue and that is variable but the brain fog isn't nearly as bad. I have to catch the right time to go to bed though otherwise the pred will stop me from sleeping. Hope that helps.
Yes - I agree that 2.5mg when you are below 10mg is too much to reduce at one time unless you are using the "Dead slow and nearly stop" approach to the reduction and with a 2.5mg drop slowing it even further.
Mary when i first started my doctor had me reducing at 2.5mg a time, i ended up being really ill on holiday, so i would recommend following Eileens dead slow, its working for me now. Good luck