I did some web searches and found the following:

http://renux.dmed.ed.ac.uk/EdREN/Handbookbits/TPHdbkbits/HDBKprednis.html

http://homepage.mac.com/sholland/Papers/Steroid.html

http://www.lungspecialist.com/steroid.htm

http://www.lupusmn.org/Education/Articles/SteroidWithdrawal.htm

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=1282080835

I am not a physician and do not recommend the above to be a substitute for the
advice of a physician.

As you know, it would be best to have a doctor help you with this weaning
off prednisone.

I completely understand your feeling of being embarrassed to tell him that
you self-medicated, bought the med illegally (I would guess, without an RX),
that you didn't follow his directions. I would have the same feeling in your
shoes.

However, if you analyze it logically, what could the negative effects be of
discussing this with your doctor, and having him help you wean off the med?

He would chide you for doing what you did, say you shouldn't have done it,
don't do it again, etc. That would certainly be embarrassing, but would it
kill you?

I certainly don't think he would dismiss you as his patient, turn you in to
the authorities for purchasing the med without an RX, etc. He would still
treat you, and do the best he could to help you wean from the med.

So--if the choice is between 1)embarrassment, and 2) taking risks with your
health (which could kill you), which should it be?

By the way, you might want to take a look at a book (in any case) by
flautist Eugenia Zukerman, called "Coping with Prednisone".