Back to 10mg
Posted , 14 users are following.
Was diagnosed last Aug started at 15mg immediate response after 2 days then gradually cut down but when I got to 5mg all the shoulder and mid thoracic pain back. Seen my rhemmy then my who is wonderful and advice to go back to 10mg. Started that on Tue and still stiff this morning and sore but it eased off later but now in pain again. Really p****d off (Sorry for the language)Just a bad day. I know it takes time and my rhemmy said im one of those that will struggle when reducing. Any suggestions gratefully received. Any diet that can help or herbal remedies. Willing to try anything. Im going back to the gym to do aqua aerobics and swimming. Thanks in advanced x
0 likes, 14 replies
Anhaga Ronnie_1234
Posted
That's frustrating, isn't it? May I ask - did the symptoms start to reappear before you got to 5 mg, or was it a sudden, overnight, recurrence? If there were signs all was not well earlier then probably what happened is you needed to stay at that earler dose somewhat longer before continuing with the taper. Be careful not to start tapering again until you are sure you feel as well as you did at the beginning, last August. It may take a few days before you are back to where you were. Get lots of rest - don't overdo things so you can get this flare under control quickly.
Ronnie_1234 Anhaga
Posted
Many thanks for your reply. It was a bit of both. I have come to realise that I'm very impatient and have probably tried to reduce too quickly. Also just lost my best friend just over a month ago.so feel that grieving is having an impact. Work long hours too x
Have been thinking of going up 15mg and will email my doctor tom.
Diana112 Ronnie_1234
Posted
I know it isn't what you want to hear Ronnie but I think you have reduced far too quickly. Your rheummy's comment makes it sound as if you are in the minority but it isn't so. There are a lot of us entering our 2nd year, 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on..... and Eileen has mentioned that those who reduce very quickly more frequently end up with the PMR reappearing. You may find that you will need to increase to 15 mg for a short time to clear the inflammation and then start reducing again but I am sure someone will be able to give you some more help shortly. Good Luck
amkoffee Ronnie_1234
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Ronnie_1234 amkoffee
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Michdonn Ronnie_1234
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Michdonn Ronnie_1234
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jan_37704 Ronnie_1234
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whitefishbay Ronnie_1234
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lily58584 Ronnie_1234
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nick67069 Ronnie_1234
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EileenH Ronnie_1234
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You never were heading relentlessly to zero - you were looking for the lowest dose that gave the same result as the starting dose. At a guess that was 6mg or maybe 7mg - but you overshot. Unfortunately it is common to find it more difficult to get a flare under control than getting pain-free at the start. It is probably that the body has got used to the pred - so avoiding letting a flare get established is important. And yes - the emotional stress will not have helped at all.
You can reduce as quickly as you like, 1mg per month is perfectly reasonable and would fit with your timeline, PROVIDING that you always watch out for a return of symptoms by allowing up to a month between reductions. But you must be honest and not be in denial when you start to feel niggles. As you get lower you must, be definition, be approaching the dose you are looking for - so slow down! It isn't a race - and as someone else has said, you are by no means the only person it has happened to. It isn't that "you" will find it difficult to reduce - so do almost all of us if we aren't careful!
DSNS has been mentioned:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/reducing-pred-dead-slow-and-nearly-stop-method-531439
Cutting simple carbs and sugars is a good start - it helps avoid both weight gain and steroid-induced diabetes and sugars are very pro-inflammatory so cutting them helps in many ways. Personally I don't think there are supplements worth their price-tag but no doubt some people find they help. Gentle exercise also helps - but never pushing it or overdoing it.
Michdonn EileenH
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EileenH Michdonn
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It's the only place I feel conservatism is acceptable...