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Increased CRP Level

Posted , 8 users are following.

liz12234
liz12234

Ive just had recent blood test and my CRP is 22.1mg/L how worried should i be im waiting for a phone call from the Dr on Monday. I recently spent 2 weeks in Florida doing lots of walking and late nights and i felt great no probs at all but just recently ive had a few aches , not everyday but there all the same, is this a flare, i dont really want to up my preds im on 10mg at the moment i would be grateful for your thoughts and advice

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • leonard12916
    leonard12916 liz12234

    Posted

    Hi Liz, I'm no expert here but I wonder when you had your last CRP test, what it was, and if you had any aches at that time as it may give you a means of comparison.  I've had two CRP done in the last 30 days and both are rising and my discomfort is as well so, it makes me think my 9mg of Prednisone I've been on for 6 weeks just isn't enough, as much as I want to bring the dose down more!  It will be interesting to see what kind of comments you receive.
  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall liz12234

    Posted

    Hello Liz, I can't help you with all the blood readings and technical stuff but I can say that what you put your body through can sometimes take awhile to take its toll. Now summers here I'm doing loads of gardening and my shoulders, arms and thumbs are hurting a little. In my opinion the pain is not PMR pain so I am putting it down to over working/stretching of muscles that throughout the winter months got little use. So that and the fact that preds weaken muscles and they now take longer to rejuvenate tells me that just slow down abit, especially for the week prior and two weeks after a taper. 

    Was your blood test following or pre your holiday? Perhaps you could request another blood test and see if your levels have improved. 

    Hopefully, Mrs O, Eileen, and a few others will be along to give you some proper advise. I do hope all is well. Regards, christina 

    • liz12234
      liz12234 tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      Hi Thanks for your comments , the blood test was 6wks after the holiday but i had just reduced to 10mg as i had been on 12.5 for 6wks, i am a busy person most days so cos i dont get the aches and pains everyday i dont know what to think Liz
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall liz12234

      Posted

      Hello Liz, the fact that you don't get the aches and pains everyday is surely a good thing. Back to me, if it's raining for a few days and I can't do any gardening my pain clears up so again that tells me my pain, which is barely nothing to complain of is usage related. Remember what I said about preds causing muscle wastage so think on if perhaps without realising it are you using your muscles more.

      whatever the outcome, definately do not reduce at the moment until you receive better advise than mine! Regards, christina 

    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey liz12234

      Posted

      Liz, I echo what Christina has said:  if the pains aren't there every day, they are probably being caused by you over-using those muscles which are in no fit state to be abused whilst PMR runs its course.  Also, my blood tests were always carried out before a reduction, not afterwards, and used as a guide along with my symptoms as to whether they were improved enough to consider a reduction.  As your blood test was carried out immediately following the reduction from 12.5 to 10mg, there might well have been a little inflammation resurfacing.  Hopefully, a repeat blood test in a couple of weeks will show that this and the CRP will settle as you spend longer at 10mg.........giving those muscles a rest and trying a few days of not being a "busy person"!
    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK liz12234

      Posted

      Liz - try to stick as close as you can to the 10% reduction rule.  At 12.5 mg a 10% would be 1.25 or better still 1 mg!!  Not too fast and not too much.

      Best of luck, John

  • charlie44644
    charlie44644 liz12234

    Posted

    Liz

    You may have decreased a bit quickly from 12.5 to 10. I recently did that and it did not go well.

    I too had been doing significant exercising, skiing in Colorado for 10 days in Jan. and Feb. and felt great. I did a fairly fast shuffle to 10mg soon after returning and began to get pains. I only waited afew days before going back to 15 mg for two days and then back to 12.5mg. for three weeks. Then I started a month long transition to 11.25mg which I completed two weeks ago and I feel good.

    So I confirmed what our senior spokesspeople have said many times, you cannot rush the transitions especially once you get close to 10 mg. and the changes need to be smaller in dosage and over longer periods of time.

    Wish you well.

    Charlie 44644

  • EileenH
    EileenH liz12234

    Posted

    A single raised ESR or CRP shouldn't be a reason for increasing the dose unless there are increasing symptoms alongside it. The test can have a raised level for a lot of reasons - including technical ones that mean the reading isn't correct. Chest infections can also raise CRP considerably.

    It should be repeated after a week or so and the trend observed - I had one single abnormal CRP, the following week it was back to normal. No symptoms - may be another cause altogether.

    And yes - don't reduce in 2.5mg steps, far too big at this level in PMR whatever any doctor tries to tell you.

    • liz12234
      liz12234 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks for that Eileen, my aches and pains were increasing rapidly so i increased today to 12mg and have felt better already , have i done the right thing who knows i shall certainly reduce slower this time never mind the Dr, see what she says Monday, maybe i will be told off!
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