Prednisone Reduction

• By Teacherteacher
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 10:49 am

Hi,
When my doc started a taper after long term high dosage he made what I thought was an unusual demand. I was to get 15 - 30 minutes of morning sunlight between 7-9 am. And, I was to walk 30 minutes with as many rests as needed, using an Ipod instead of a watch to keep my mind off the symptoms creeping up and a pedometer to see my improvement. He said to walk on level ground, (circles around my house, since we live at the top of a high and I can't get up and down the driveway)

Like you, I went without sleep forever it seemed. I had extreme pain, joints, muscles, broken bones from the pred. But, between resetting the sleep cycle (I got up at the same time, sleep or not) and the movement I began to sleep at night. It wasn't fast and it wasn't long at the beginning, but when you don't sleep at all 3-4 hours of connected sleep is heaven sent.

Good luck!

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• By micheleb
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 11:06 am

Teacherteacher gave you some great advice. Is your doctor starting you on any other sort of treatment for the sarc while he is reducing your prednisone?

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• By healing
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 9:08 pm

Hey you guys, Thank you so much for the advice. I am willing to try anything. My Doctor has not talked about any other treatment. I am scheduled for more x-rays, Ct's, blood... in November. I hope I can make it that long without landing in the emergency room.
I want off prednisone, but man, this is hard...
Thanks again!

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• By Paradox
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 1:18 am

Teacher - that advice is so right on! I'd almost think you've had an inside track at the sleep medicine conferences. Unfortunately most people fall into a trap when they can't sleep and turn on the TV, where of course the charlatans hide waiting to pounce on insomniacs with their false promises of sleeping aids in the form of infomercials. These days even mattress companies and pharmaceuticals have gotten into the game (very profitable business - even if no one else benefits).

Other things that I will suggest to help with sleep....
DO NOT watch TV or play on the computer
Do try to go to bed at the same time every night and get up in the morning at the same time as Teacher suggests.
If you must get out of bed - do something that is aversive... like clean the bathrooms... then try to go back to bed.
Remove all non-bedroom stuff from the bedroom - no TV, no videogames, only books suitable for relaxing to. If it isn't for "bedroom activities" don't have it in there.
Develop a bed time ritual - herbal tea, meditation, PM yoga or tai chi, prayer. Do what fits you that helps you get to the calm center.
Do Not review the shoulda-coulda-woulda's of the day!

When all else fails - Benadryl is an over the counter anti-histamine that works great as a sleep aid - it helps to start sleep, not zonk people where they won't get real rest like most of the prescription drugs do. Even better - completely non-habit-forming.

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• By BUNKIE
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 8:42 am

Hi Friends
I am going through the same thing after 2 years of Prednisone. It is brutal. I am so bad with the symptoms that I can only get down 1/2 mg every 3 months. I suppose that I am stalled with the extra stress of my parents strokes and Alzheimers so we go slow. The winter is my worst time so we will see how I do during the next season.
Funny thing I sleep good but I am doing exactly what Paradox mentioned. I take a swig of Dye free childrens Benedryl at night. I get a good 7 hours before I start to wake up and feel all the pain I have.
Bunkie

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• By jjhand
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 9:04 am

HI
I to am going through the tapering off prednisone I have been going down 1mg amonth and will be done in September I have a lot of pain also and don't sleep well either they put me on methotrexate to counted going off the prednisone not sure if that is doing anything either But I do no that once I am off the prednisone I will not take it again the prednisone is just to hard on a persons system and the feeling you get coming off this drug no way not again.

Best of luck to you John

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• By lawrence11
• Posted July 30, 2008 at 12:15 pm

i have crohns disease and have been on doses of prednisone ranging from 15mg to 25mg for the last 25yrs ongoing.i have never been able to eliminate it completely because my symptoms would return and the mood swings were unbearable.my doctor prescribed hgh
2 months ago,and since then,i have reduced my dose to 5mg per day without little problem except of course for the mood swings.these are easier to deal with without all the physical symptoms.hgh is working for me and it may be something worth researching for yourself.

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