get off prednisone

How I did it: My condition improved (I had an auto-immune blood disorder) and my doctor slowly reduced my dosage from 80mg/day down to 60,40,20,10,5,2.5 and then 2.5 every other day. 
I followed the doctor's instructions to the letter and was quite thrilled when I didn't have to swallow my batch of pills each day.  I ended up with some secondary problems due to my extended use of prednisone (mild osteoporosis and some kidney stones) but they have improved over time and show no signs of returning.

Lessons & tips: At first, the weight dropped off quickly and my face began to regain its normal shape.  However, I quickly learned that the fat was permanent, or not going to just melt away.  I've been working hard, on and off, to reduce my bulges and just lost my final  5 pounds this month.  All said, I'm back to where I was before the prednisone, and 30+ lbs lighter than my heaviest weight while on it.   

Resources: The Internet provides lost of details, cautionary tales, and plenty of references to the known side effects, all of which are documented all-too-well. 

May 14, 12:42PM PDT | 0 comments