Prednisone must be taken according to your healthcare provider's directions. If you are prescribed prednisone for more than a few weeks, you will need to taper off the medication.
This means you reduce the dosage slowly until you can stop the medication completely. Stopping prednisone all at once can lead to side effects and withdrawal symptoms. This article explains how prednisone works and why it is important to follow your healthcare provider's instructions for tapering off prednisone. Prednisone is similar to cortisol, a hormone made by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is a steroid involved in regulating many of the body's systems, including metabolism and immunity.
It plays a key role in our body's response to stress. Prednisone works by mimicking the effects of cortisol. However, when prednisone is taken for more than a few weeks, the adrenal glands make less natural cortisol. As a result, stopping prednisone quickly can cause a number of problems. To avoid withdrawal after long-term use, prednisone should be reduced gradually according to a schedule set by your healthcare provider.
Don't try to stop or taper prednisone without your healthcare provider's knowledge or advice. Symptoms of prednisone withdrawal can range from mild to severe. Typical prednisone withdrawal symptoms include:. The risk of prednisone withdrawal is so high that some healthcare providers will pre-plan a tapering schedule if high doses are used for more than three days. In most cases, however, tapering is only needed if you take prednisone by mouth for more than three weeks.
There are no set rules for tapering off of prednisone. The schedule will differ based on the dose you were taking and how long you used the medication.
The decision depends largely on the healthcare provider's clinical experience. People who haven't been taking steroids for very long may have their dose decreased by a little each day.
People who have been taking prednisone for a very long time may need a much slower taper. In some cases, the dose may be decreased monthly. When people first decrease the dose, it's common to feel achy or fatigued. These symptoms often get better over two to seven days.
If withdrawal symptoms continue to bother you beyond a week, talk to your healthcare provider. In some cases, your healthcare provider may temporarily increase the dose and taper more slowly. Some people may still have difficulty tapering off steroids despite reducing the dose by only 1 mg at a time.
Another technique is known as an alternate-day taper. For example, instead of simply lowering the dose from 4 mg to 3 mg of prednisone, a healthcare provider may prescribe taking 4 mg one day and 3 mg the next day, then alternating back and forth for one week. Then, if that's successful, the healthcare provider may prescribe 4 mg one day and 2 mg the next, and so on until the patient is taking only 4 mg every other day for example, 4 mg one day and zero the next day.
The healthcare provider then continues to try to decrease that 4-mg dose. Tapering may not always prevent withdrawal symptoms. There are no tests to accurately predict who will experience withdrawal and to what degree. Prednisone is a steroid that can be used as part of a person's treatment after they have a significant asthma attack. In this article, we examine the…. Prednisone is a steroid people use to treat autoimmune disorders, but it can also affect how the body reacts to insulin.
This can be a contributing…. How to deal with prednisone withdrawal. Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. Prednisone withdrawal symptoms Symptoms When to see a doctor Treatment and home remedies Prevention Outlook Prednisone withdrawal occurs when a person stops taking prednisone abruptly or reduces their dose too quickly. Why do prednisone withdrawal symptoms happen? Share on Pinterest Prednisone causes the body to reduce the amount of cortisol it makes. Image credit: NLM, When to see a doctor.
Treatment and home remedies. Share on Pinterest A person can manage prednisone withdrawal by getting enough sleep. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3.
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