Prednisone withdrawal

Q:

I had to take prednisone for awhile. I was told I had to taper off, not just stop the predisone. Why would that be?

A:  We use prednisone all the time, to treat things like asthma, arthritis, etc. It’s great for reducing pain and inflammation. However, when you stop taking it suddenly it can cause problems, particularly if you have been on the medication for a long time. Prednisone is very similar to a hormone that we all make called cortisol. When you take prednisone, the body stops making cortisol, and it takes a while for the body to start making it again. So, if you stop the prednisone suddenly, and your body isn’t making cortisol yet, then you can start feeling tired, achy, weak, nauseated, etc. Your blood pressure can even go down. If you are only taking prednisone for a few days, it is not usually a problem.