Thanks for responding,
@zebraturnedtiger. Its interesting that the pred helped at one stage, but not at another. You're probably right about the different stages of the illness responding differently.
I understand your caution. I don't expect this to be curative, but I do want to keep my job! And if the alternative is being bedbound, it doesn't feel like there's much to lose. Admittedly, I am 50 now, so maybe willing to take more of a risk that if I were younger with a chance of spontaneous improvement.
Plus, there's growing support now for the view that much of our illness might be due not to the underlying pathogen itself, but to the abnormal way we react to it. Or the two feed off each other in some complicated and self-sustaining way. So maybe not so daft to try turning down off the mad immune reaction for a short while and just see what happens. Whatever my immune system is doing, it doesn't seem to be very effective, cos I continue to be really, really sick!
Pred is used for a lot of autoimmune conditions, including MS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritiis, etc., and there do seem to be important similarities between ME and these conditions.
Update: the prednisone is still working, but its effects do seem to be wearing off over time. Doctor has upped my dose to 40ms for 7 days (3 more to go), then I have to try and taper off. I don't expect that's going to be easy, but will keep you all posted.