Dr visit
Posted , 14 users are following.
My Dr visit was today. Been on 30mg pred since mid Nov. Says to reduce by 5 mg every 3 weeks for 9 weeks then see how it's going.He also said that in addition to the pmr I also have fibromyalgia. Anyone else dealing with this?
1 like, 13 replies
Michdonn carlene22578
Posted
carlene, I personally would not taper that quickly. Try to reduce by no more than 10% and use the DSNS method, you will be more safer and have less chance of a flare. On was tapering to 7 mg and had to go to 30 mg to get relief. Getting off Pred is not a RACE! Easy does it. Go slow, think positive and try to smile.
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/reducing-pred-dead-slow-and-nearly-stop-method-531439
Good luck on your journey. 🙂
linda82701_USA carlene22578
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constance.de linda82701_USA
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linda82701_USA constance.de
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EileenH linda82701_USA
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linda82701_USA EileenH
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Diana112 carlene22578
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EileenH carlene22578
Posted
If it is PMR then you will probably manage the first 2 reductions to 20mg OK - but the third may be more difficult. As Diana says, 15mg is a usual starting dose. I started with 15mg for 2 weeks, 10mg for 2 weeks and 5 mg for 2 weeks - it wasn't for pmR, the rheumy didn't think it was. The pain was gone in 6 hours, didn't reappear at 10mg and not even at 5mg. 6 hours after missing the first 5mg dose it was all back - and felt worse than before. It took me a long long time (5 years!) to get back to 5mg and I can't manage on 5mg now so rushing things obviously isn't ever helpful!!!
carlene22578
Posted
Thanks for the info everyone. When the Dr said I also have the fibromyalgia he didn't say anything about treatment. Is it same as for the pmr?
EileenH carlene22578
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There is no treatment for fibromyalgia - some doctors use Cymbalta but I don't thik it does a lot, has side effects and can be difficult to get off, not really addictive but unpleasant to stop.
The basic difference between fibro and PMR is that PMR responds to pred, fibro doesn't. So all the pain you get rid of with pred will probably have been the PMR or any other inflammatory pain you have.
EileenH
Posted
PS - what makes him think you also have fibro? It's next to impossible to tell which is which, there is so much overlap in symptoms.
carlene22578 EileenH
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He pressed on the pressure points and that was really painful. Since my symptoms went away with the pred I was surprised with the fibromyalgia diagnosis. At first I didn't get relief with the 30mg pred until I did the split dose that I read about on this forum. I did 20mg in the morning and 10 in the evening. Much better next day!
EileenH carlene22578
Posted
Then whatever you had - if all the pain went away with pred, it wasn't fibro,