Weaning Myself Off Prednisone

Following transplant, I was given a whole pharmacy of drugs to begin taking, one of which is prednisone, a steroid that acts as an immune-suppressant. Though I understand that these drugs are essential for the preservation of my new kidney, they are not without side effects.

In the first four days following surgery, I dropped 16 pounds of excess fluids, going from 151 to 135. Since then, I have put on 10 pounds, now up to 145. This is due to the prednisone. Yesterday at my clinic visit, the nephrologist told me that she has seen patients who were very thin prior to surgery become obese because of prednisone. She said that the insomnia, elevated blood sugar, and elevated blood pressure I have been experiencing are also attributable to prednisone. I literally have not had a good night's sleep since the surgery. I wake up often and have trouble getting back to sleep. At most, I have gotten six or seven hours, often a lot less. My blood sugar is way out of whack. I have had to more than double my insulin to compensate for the high blood sugars. Even so, my control is not good. And my blood pressure has gone from perfect (117/54) to dangerous (160/74).

Initially I was taking 40 mg prednisone a day, then it was lowered to 30, then 20, and yesterday to 10. The nephrologist said that I am a good candidate for getting completely off the drug, as I am not African American or Latino, two groups that tend to have to continue on the drug, and I do not have a certain lab marker that is an indicator of continued use. Since after a month, the body becomes hooked on prednisone, making withdrawal difficult or impossible, the nephrologist said that she most likely would take me off the drug completely at next Monday's visit. Fingers crossed.