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GCA - 40mg or 60mg for commencing dose?

Posted , 11 users are following.

jones10939
jones10939

This is puzzling me as I've seen many references to 60mg Pred daily as a starting dose - however OH was prescribed 40mg. How common is a 40mg starting dose?

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • lynda62707
    lynda62707 jones10939

    Posted

    Hi jones...not sure about gca...I have pmr and started on 15mg which worked like a miracle within hrs. if my 1st dosage!

    I'm quite sure someone in this forum has an answer for you in reference to gca. Sit tight....

  • nick67069
    nick67069 jones10939

    Posted

    it is not unusual to have 60 or even 80mg as a starting dose for GCA. 40 may be too low for GCA and it would be too high for PMR ( usually 15-25mg at the start).
  • Michdonn
    Michdonn jones10939

    Posted

    Hi Jones, I agree with the other forum members, but would just like to add that weight is also a contributing factor. 🙂

  • EileenH
    EileenH jones10939

    Posted

    Fairly - 40mg is the bottom of the range for GCA really and would be used where GCA is suspected but there are no visual symptoms. Doctors are so terrified of pred they are unlikely to use more than the minimum they need. If 40mg sorts the symptoms then there is no real need for more. On the other hand, if the starting dose only produces a partial response the correct thing to do is try more. And if there are visual symptoms, more should be used from the outset.
    • jones10939
      jones10939 EileenH

      Posted

      GCA was confirmed on biopsy (a week later) but the level of pred was efficient re pain etc.

      Reduction of dosage commenced after a few weeks.

  • catherine34621
    catherine34621 jones10939

    Posted

    Iwas started on 40mgs. with swollen temple arteries, jaw ache etc. after treatment for suspected pmr. within two days I saw a Rheum. who said she thought I didn't have gca. put me back on Naproxin which I was on approx. three weeks before my sight problems started, I then saw a Rheum.Registrar, who put me back on 40mgs. of Pred. This was in 2015, I was finally diagnosed in 2017, my dose has never been any higher. To be fair to the first Rheum. I had been on the Pred. two days when she saw me and my symptoms had almost disappeared.

  • Susanne_M_UK
    Susanne_M_UK jones10939

    Posted

    I was started on 40mg for GCA. I didn't have any visual problems, but had all the other symptoms.

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