PP, I'm sorry that I didn't see this post before.

Headaches are a typical indication that you are coming off steroids too fast. I've done this to myself a few times, and it is damned scary - especially when you start reading about adrenal crisis. Fatigue is the other thing I notice, but being a non-drinker and never experiencing a hang over I can't really compare what I get to that, though!

Getting from 20mg down to 10mg is usually fairly easy, but it's the 10mg to nothing that is hardest, and I find it worst once you get below around the level of 7.5mg. My rheumy has some suggestions as to why, but I suspect it may be something relating to my arthritis condition, rather than an everyone thing.

What instructions did Dr S give you regarding reducing your dose? I found his instructions differed greatly from those from my rheumy, and I do feel much better when I follow my rheumy's instructions. Basically, stay on each level for at least a week before reducing again, and only reduce again if you are getting no symptoms. Once you get below 10mg, smaller increments are better (I find 1mg reductions work better than 2 or 2.5mg reductions, and I can generally get off them quicker because I'm not actually waiting for side effects to subside at each level).

If things are getting really bad, and you're having no problems on say 8mg, but heaps of problems on 7mg, it can help to spend some time on alternating doses - for a week or so take 8mg one day, 7mg the next, then 8mg, then 7mg and so on. I know it seems as though you are stretching out the withdrawal period, but if you can do it in such a way as to avoid having side effects crop up, it's usually easier to actually get off them.

The typical withdrawal symptoms from prednisone are fatigue, headaches, low blood pressure (dizziness when standing up, etc), nausea, vomiting and body aches. Have never experienced the numbness you describe and I'm not finding it on any of the lists, either.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner - I would have if I'd seen your post!

BW