How do you know how much and when to raise prednisone level when you have signs of a flare up?
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi Everyone,
Been on prednisone for 2 years, 2 months, (but who' s counting?) with one major flare,
i have been on 2 mg's for at least 2 months, and have not reduced, due to midsection discomfort, which I'm guessing isn't related, but, I'm not sure.
in the last 4 days, I've been feeling shoulder and arm ache and fatigue, both sides, which I recognize as a previous symptom of possible flare.
in the past, I've gone up as high as 5 mg, which seems to take away the pains, but I often wonder if a 10 mg shot, or one week pred pkg. , from the doc, while continuing with the 2 mg., might do the trick, and allow me not to have to taper down, again to 2 mg, over, possibly as long as 6 months.
Has anyone tried anything like this, or some other way to avoid the long taper, again?
Also, how does one determine amount to taper, other than by trial and error?
So many questions.
I truly don't know what I would do, without this group.
Thanks,
Barb
0 likes, 19 replies
John-42 barb30898
Posted
Good Luck !
barb30898 John-42
Posted
How often do you check your ESR ?
Do you always check before you do a burst?
when you are finished, do you go back to original dosage, before you started
unfortunately, had ESR done, last month, and it was extremely low.
rheumy says it can fall within normal ranges, but not necessarily be a true indicator of what is going on in my body?????
OK, decision made..
Thanks
barb
John-42 barb30898
Posted
1. ESR & CRP monthly.
2. My GCA is such that I go without noticeable symptoms, so far for 2.5 yrs. but have had high readings twice.
3. I go back to the dose where the reading was good.
ESR has a time lag and I believe CRP is closer to what the actual reading is at the time of the blood test.
Charko barb30898
Posted
ptolemy barb30898
Posted
beatrice74480 barb30898
Posted
barb30898 beatrice74480
Posted
I'm sorry for the Inflamatory Osteoarthritis diagnosis.
Does that mean you don't have PMR, or know you have to deal with both?
what kind of med's will you be on?
i wish you and all of us, better days, better health.
Barb
Daniel1143 barb30898
Posted
barb30898 Daniel1143
Posted
Appreciate the info.
Reading your response and others, gives me the motivation to jump in and test the theory.
Did you do this for just 3 days?
Did you go immediately back to the 5 mg's, after the last day?
Barb
Daniel1143 barb30898
Posted
That's my experience, anyway. Others may have a more enlightened opinion.
Anhaga Daniel1143
Posted
barb30898 Anhaga
Posted
How come you are so wise?
It only took me, all of 2 long years to learn from this group and to finally absorb these simple, but necessary truths.
my doctors had no clue. Thank goodness I found this site. I was truly desperate.
i will be 76, in a few weeks (happy for that) I was an athlete.
i was strong. I never got tired.
age didn't mean anything
i could go for ever. I believed I could still put my all, into everything, and took glee in beating all the young ones, at all sports.
what a rude awakening.
Stress and overdoing, or even doing, have become my enemies
i am emotional and I hurt for others, when they are suffering, and
Thats'something I am still working to control.
I am unable to play sports, without reprocussion, so the gym, and walking have taken their place., but, at half speed. I don't even recognize me.
What a bummer....but necessary.
and then there are my children...they think I should look great and be able to do the same things I did in my twenties. I'll bet almost all kids are like that, about their parents.
whoops, wandered way off the subject.
i Want to grow up and be smart like you.
barb
barb30898 Daniel1143
Posted
Been toying with this idea, a long while.
i hate to lose so much ground, especially after so much hard work.
checking the theory, seems reasonable.
Barb
Anhaga barb30898
Posted
Charko barb30898
Posted