I have never smoked and I think my place in heaven when I die, is secured by the amount of people who I have helped to stop smoking.

I can tell you, that cigarretes have something in them that makes them more addicting and it is much harder to stop smoking "cold turkey" then it was a few years ago.
and any abrupt change is not good for a person who is ill.

so, a few days ago, I discussed smoking with one of my patients. and in order to help her with it, I took a calender, that I use to chart down meds, and started writing the number of cigarretes she is allowed to smoke each day, with a gradual tapeing down.

and then when I looked at what I did, we both started lauging, as it appeared as if I was "perscribing" cigarretes for her. and I thought-wow, that's going to look great in court.

now, seriously, I am a great advocate of not smoking, but I think that the combination of taking pred. and stopping to smoke like that, can be overwhelming, and I would go slower with both.

I am not familiar with the medical details, but it doesn't sound like you are in imminent danger at this point. I do hope you do not have intersitital lung disease, but even if you do, it is not a matter of a few days.

also most neurologists would start pred. cautiously, as it can make things worse in some patients.

I think that going from doing nothing to "pouncing" on you like that, can in itself make you feel horrible.

so, I would just try to get them to slow down a bit, and hopefully communicate with each other.

after all you are the patient, so you should be the one in charge.