How great to see your name again!!! I don't know
the answer to the first two questions but I do know
about prednisone. It is a steroid and you have to be
on it in decending dosages following IV treatment.
You cannot stop taking a steroid, you must slowly
decrease its presence in your system. To do so
could cause death...it replaces the adrenaline(I think)
production in your body and by decreasing the dosage
slowly your body is slowly taking over the production
that is essential to your health.
Anyway, that is what (or something close to what) they
told me years ago when I started taking steroids for my
skin troubles.
Again,so glad you're back home and with us. JanH