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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How do I taper off prednisilone?

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    Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis Digestive Health Endocrinology
    I have been on prednsiolone for 19 months non stop because each time I tried to taper from it I would get worsening symptoms. I am guessing this is not really good for my body. My GI discusses getting down to 5mg but then I stay on this dose until I start to feel like I am flaring and then I have to up the dose again want to come of it and would like to know if it is safe to come of it after being on it for this long. How can I taper of it do I just stop taking it. and would being on pred this long should I have any test to see if safe to come of it. thank you
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    Crohn's & Colitis Australia

    For more than 25 years, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia™ (formerly the Australian Crohn’s and Colitis Association) has been making life more liveable for more than … View Profile

    It's important that steroid medications like prednisolone are not stopped abruptly. You need to discuss a plan with your gastroenterologist to get you off the steroids by tapering the dose in very small amounts gradually over several weeks and possibly taking them on alternate days so that it helps the body restart its natural production of steroid hormones.  Some people who take these medications for longer periods experience withdrawal symptoms when they get to a lower dose and for a while after they stop, which can mimic symptoms that seem like they are having a flare.  Knowing this can occur and having your gastroenterologist keep check on what's happening will help in overcoming any problems that are of a concern.  In time withdrawal symptoms lessen and eventually disappear.  However if it is clearly evident there is active bowel disease, then other medications generally referred to as immunomodulators can be used, which can help maintain the level of response normally achieved with higher dose steroids yet work in a different way by allowing a patient to not only get off steroids, but also in helping settle the IBD and keeping it in remission for long periods.  These medications act slowly and can take a while to work, so they are normally started while a patient is on a gradual tapering does of steroids.

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