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Crp 20 should I increase Pred?

Posted , 7 users are following.

susan43406
susan43406

Pmr diagnosed January. Started on 15mg Pred. Currently 9mg had to abandon slow drop to 8.5 a few weeks ago due to increased symptoms. Now have some stiffness/discomfort in morning which I can cope with and it does improve by midday. Not getting any worse. Latest blood test shows ESR 15 and CRP 20. Concerned about CRP though, Should I increase Pred or just continue for a while on 9mg?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy susan43406

    Posted

    The main rule of thumb is listen to your body. If you feel comfortable you do not need to increase, your CRP may have increased for other reasons. If you are having pain go back to where you were last comfortable.
  • EileenH
    EileenH susan43406

    Posted

    If you have increased symptoms the blood markers are immaterial - symptoms rule. Are you as good on 9mg NOW as you were BEFORE the slow taper? It may be that you allowed some inflammation to build up before you stopped the taper so your baseline is higher. Maybe a few days at a higher dose would clear it out. What is your usual ESR? It isn't a case of "Is it in the normal range?", it is "Is it at your normal level?". The 1-20 "normal range" is the range of readings that would be found in a large population of healthy people. It doesn't mean that if your reading is mostly low single figures while you are well managed on pred it is still OK when it rises to 18. OTOH, if my usual reading is 15 then one of 18 isn't much to be concerned about. But another check in a week or so to check if there is a trend is a good idea.

    How early do you take your pred? The earlier the better - less new inflammation so less for the pred to do and the sooner you are better.

    • susan43406
      susan43406 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you Eileen. Yes I think you could be right about build up of inflammation. I will go up to 10mg for a week and see if that clears it.  I have never been completely symtom free but around 90% when first on pred. More like 80% now but stable. I do take it when I wake first thing. Lovely hubby brings me tea and yoghurt in bed to take it. Am learning so much! 
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