Posted , 5 users are following.
I am 25 days into a taper from 7-1/2 to 7 using the DSNS+ method.
At this point I have "cut out" 2-1/2m of prednisone. My left foot, leg has always been one of the "go to" spots for the PMR. I have not injured that leg. Should I continue this taper...suffer thru...or go back to 7-1/2m daily, and a pretty much pain free existence. Seems worth it to see if the left leg gets better on the 7-1/2??
0 likes, 11 replies
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Daniel1143 kathy67492
Posted
Anhaga kathy67492
Posted
Your call of course. Good luck!
kathy67492 Anhaga
Posted
Anhaga kathy67492
Posted
Yes, I've had hip pain for years. I think PMR made it worse, but it wasn't the cause. I have some osteoarthritis in my spine and that seems to have caused some nerve or other to be affected. So my physiotherapist gives me low intensity light therapy to reduce inflammation. PMR. and various other techniques to straighten and strengthen my spine, OP.
FlipDover_Aust kathy67492
Posted
PMR doesn't 'usually' present on one side - that said it can - however, I would be looking at other causes for the left leg problems.
There are other causes of inflammation than just PMR. :-)
kathy67492 FlipDover_Aust
Posted
Thanks...that is true!...hard to distinguish when I have had such "fluky" ailments over the last two+ years with this PMR!
Daniel1143 kathy67492
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kathy67492 Daniel1143
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That is so annoying...and I know it is the tapering because I was so "stable" on 7-1/2m...makes me think it is prednisone withdrawal and/or overuse. Overuse can often elude me...how much is too much? Think I will listen to the person on this forum who rests often regardless of how he/she feels??
EileenH kathy67492
Posted
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you are reducing relentlessly to zero. You aren't: you are reducing from your starting dose to find the lowest dose that manages your symptoms as well as it did.
The starting dose is one that is more than the vast majority of people will need to manage their symptoms - because that is all it is ever doing, managing the symptoms. It has no effect on the real cause, an underlying autoimmune disorder that causes your immune system to go haywire and attack your body as "foreign". Once the symptoms are under control and the existing inflammation is cleared out you then look for this lowest dose - the dose you will need for some time until the autoimmune bit goes into remission.
It may well be that 7.5mg is the perfect dose, the lowest that completely clears out the new dollop of inflammation that happens every morning due to the shedding in the body of a new batch of cytokines. It's only half a mg - but half a mg can make a BIG difference!
It doesn't mean you won't get lower - just not yet.
EileenH kathy67492
Posted
I have to say - if it were me I would go back to the 7 1/2mg to test - if the pain goes you have an answer that suggests you aren't ready to do that 1/2mg yet. You are now at what is called a physiological dose - about the same amount of corticosteroid your body makes naturally in the form of cortisol. Most experts stop worrying about pred with patients who can get to there. Obviously less is better in the long term but this is a point at which you needn't get all het up about taking pred and can relax about tapering. Which is always a good thing and may well help the PMR and the taper!
kathy67492 EileenH
Posted
I am leaving for a week of relaxation. Also, I do sometimes worry about not controlling this inflammation as much as possible. Prednisone, my friend!😊 Thank you!