I have been reducing my prednisone 1mg a month since I was at 15mg. I would have two bad weeks with a lot of pain and then two pretty good weeks. I change rheumys around the 10mg mark. The new rheumy added methotrexate to the prednisone and Imuran. He said it would make the reduction easier. It did----until I reduced to 2mg. For two weeks I had more pain than I have had in a long time. I was unable to cross my legs because my thighs hurt so much. Of course it was much better when I went to my doctor last Thursday. I told him I did NOT want to increase the prednisone. He feels that 2mg is not much and I may have to stay with that. But he wants to start reducing my Imuran. I was on 175mg of Imuran. He changed it to 150mg and said to stay on 2mg of prednisone.This was most frustrating to me since I had dilusions of running naked through the fields again. Actually I have never run naked through the fields; but it sounds good.
Alas that is where I am. My internist prescribed Ultram (Tramadol) for pain. It is non-narcotic and supposed to be non habitforming. He said that since it blocks the receptors in the brain as does the oxycodone, it can be habit-forming too. I take one pill at night and it seems to be working. I still have pain when I move; but if I am lying still, nothing hurts.
Sorry to run on so.
Phil