Long term low dose prednisone
how many take low dose prednisone long term? I was diagnosed in July and it showed up with no warning or gradual. woke up, got out of bed and by the time i walked to the bathroom, couldnt grip my toothbrush. I have no aches, pains or swelling when on the steroid for a flare up. Dr says we can't do that for you all the time and then I read about the daily 1 or 2 mg.
Hi
. Any RA medication comes with risks. The same is true of low-dose prednisone. It's a matter of weighing those risks against the risks of your other options. Though most doctors recommend against it, here is an article from one of our advocates who has been on a low dose for more than a decade: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/prednisone-dosage-increase. I hope you get some responses from others in the community about their experiences. Has your doctor recommended any other treatment? Wishing you the best. - Lori (Team Member) 
Hi
. My wife, Kelly Mack (a contributor here), was diagnosed at age two and has had juvenile RA for over 40 years. She has been on low-dose prednisone (5mg/day) for many years with no known negative effects. Of course, every situation and case is different. The research on prednisone is a little all over the map. I could find you research saying long-term use of even low-dose prednisone is problematic and other studies where the researchers say the treatment is under-utilized. I suspect the individualized nature of RA plays a role in this uncertainty. Hopefully others will chime in with their experience. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team) Same with me I was 9 when diagnosed now 61. Have been on low dose over 25 years. It is my saving grace on bad days. I do have bone density done yearly. All good so far.
(Ruth). I have been taking 5mg of pred daily x 13 yrs now. Tried to do without it , tried tapering even at this low dose because of the effects on your body. Couldn’t do it. That being said, it might be better to take pred over a longer period than a dose pak (5 days). That means 25 x 4 days, then 20, 15, etc. during a flare. Long term has its side effects that may be permanent like osteoporosis, weight gain, swelling etc. Talk with your rheumy about it. I took prednisone for five years from 3mg to 20mg for a flare. I developed myopathy, muscle weakness. It was scary because I had difficulty getting out of a chair or lifting my leg, or finishing a walk. I tapered off pred and it's taken 2 years to get my strength back. Also, I have osteopenia and the docs want me on a bisphosphonate, which I'm not sold on because of osteonecrosis. So 5 years of prednisone allowed me to function, but there was a price. At least there was for me.
Appreciate you sharing your experience with us. How are managing with your RA these days? Thank you for being part of our community, Best, Kelly, Rheumatoidarthritis.net Team Member
