Little update. She's now on 2 mg prednisolone. The withdrawal period has been taking way longer than expected!
She still has to withdraw slowly otherwise jointpains an insomnia will return. It will probably take another 4 months or so to reduce the dose to 0.
@Woolie , have you managed to get off the prednisone?
steady but surely she's reducing. I imagine she manages to have a life with this regime. That life would be unpleasant if withdrawing was at a faster pace. This is the right pace. Compliments!
I'm also positively cheering to hear that her own adrenals are picking up!
btw, my insomnia is not helped by cortisone supplementation. In me, the cortisone deficit is caused by the insomnia, not the other way around. It turns out I have colonic problems that I do not notice but my stress-system does. Has done so my whole life, waking me up, usurping my cortison (and progesteron and growth hormone) and eventually draining my adrenals at age 35.
Now that I'm fixing the colon (low fibre diet + FODMAP + low sulphur diet + low residue diet + low tyramine diet) I manage to sleep through the night. I now get 6 hours instead of 4,5. Promptly I can get by with less Hydrocortisone the next day. I take 20 mg on those days. I need 25-30 mg on days with bad sleep.
btw2, my DHEA is consistently too low to measure, these years. Couldn't get it up with supplements because it got converted into Oestrogen for which I am too sensitive. I'm taking Testosteron now which gives me a nice boost (and muscle growth)(I take 0.2% solution which is what females need. Men take 2%.) I'm also on daily Progesteron to aid the adrenals. And some monthly to aid my cycle.
I am very glad to know the hormonal cascade of the adrenals and supplement them as needed. I also take Aldosterone (= Florinef). All based on blood work and symptoms. "Go low, go slow" is the motto my endocrinologist hamers into people.
Your girlfriend is a shining role model to me for always tailormaking the dosis and keep tweaking it and if possibly lower it, even if it is annoyingly slowly. Thank you for posting.