DEAR DR. GOTT: Several years ago, I had single-bypass heart surgery. About two weeks later, I developed pericarditis. At first, it manifested itself as a fluid buildup in the pericardial sac and later just as inflammation. Several drugs were prescribed to eliminate the inflammation. The only one that had any real effect was prednisone. I was put on a regimen starting at 40 mg, slowly tapering down to nothing. Shortly after finishing it, my pericarditis would return and I would have to start all over again. After a year of this, my cardiologist decided to have me taper from 40 mg to 2 mg daily. I have been on this regimen for about six years and every time I try to stop the prednisone, the pericarditis returns. I have been tested to see if my body is still producing its own prednisone, which it is. My cardiologist tells me that 2 mg daily will not hurt me and that it’s keeping the persistent inflammation from returning. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get off the prednisone and, if not, what the long-term effects of it are? I am a 69-year-old male in pretty decent shape. Thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have.
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