Back to 10mg

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.

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

It helps some people to split their dose. Take about two-thirds of your dose in the morning and then about mid-afternoon take the remainder.

Hi Ronnie, unfortunately many of us know exactly what you are suffering. I started on 20 mg, had a bad flare at 7 mg ended up going to 30 mg to get relief. First thing you have to do is to get your body stable at what ever dosage level that takes. Stay at that dosage till you can resume normal activities PMR pain free. Then think about tapering using DSNS. I personally taper very conservatively. I been PMR pain free for over a year and am very active. Good luck on your journey stay active, positive and try to smile. ☺️

Maybe by a pill tray with an alarm? 

I think you reduced too quickly that’s all. Take it slow.  As they said in Top Hun ‘your holding on too tight’.  Swimming is great though.   Best of luck.  

Hi Ronnie, last Aug I was finally diagnosed with PMR and started at 10 mg.  I know that sounds low, but while I was in the hospital it was at 15.  I always was a “health nut” and had a diet of only organic Whole Foods.   I cook all my meals and that was my biggest fear that I couldn’t cook or do my dishes last year.  I live in a small rural town with only fast foods and I stay away, including any processed food.  Thankfully with all the food deliveries out there, I found 2 companies that deliver 6 meals.  I also take supplements but one I thing helps is zyflumend.  I personally believe my plan works for me, not saying it will for everyone.  Now I’m on a anti inflammation diet.  Can see how adjusting your diet can’t help along with your meds...nothing too lose.  Google for different plans.  Aug I should be off the prednisone...keeping my fingers crossed.

First I would give it a few days to see if 10mg is sufficient to clear the accumulated inflammation. In a future, I would use gradual taper method DSNS. You reduce over 4-5 weeks by alternating old dose/new dose in specific sequence. Gradual method gives your body time to adjust to new dose, and gives you  an opportunity to notice if new dose will work for you. Usually for me by the time I am half done with taper, I can tell if it is going to work. You have to pay attention to small changes and if there is a problem, go back to previous dose. In that way you avoid ( in most cases) bigger problems , as you have experienced this time.  Hope that helps.

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.