Coming down off of steroids

My clogged right ear is much better after five days of treatment with oral Medrol and so I am reducing my steroids slowly, one tablet a day. I had been on six tabs every morning. I will be completely off them before I fly to Columbus for my 28 day visit next week to pick up my ibrutinib and my for last infusion of ofatuzumab. YEAH!

Each morning I must take my three ibrutinib capsules one half hour before any other pills or food, and my Medrol only after eating. All my other pills are taken in between. Quite the medicine cabinetry choreography.

I have managed to avoid any big time infectious or other myriad of nasty complications from all the immune squashing therapies coursing through my body.

I am hoping that the ear stays open as the dose of methylprednisolone drops. It should.

While feeling tired and wired at once, it's good to be have gotten the ear unstuck.

And I have enjoyed how my arthritis pain has been so controlled. Easy to understand why president Kennedy did't want to come off his steroid therapy.

I expect the next few days to be a bit rough as my adrenals need to get back in gear after being lulled to sleep by the pharmacological doses of my old school synthetic corticosteroid.

Still this is a much gentler and shorter trip compared to my prior close encounters with 'roids for my ITP when I took much higher doses for months at a time. Five days of therapy may not even demand a taper, but I am a cautious wimp and don't want to crash.

Let me down easy.

Every seemingly benign twist and turn with CLL can carry the potential for disaster, at least in my imagination. This little adventure should only be a minor speed bump.