making my mind up
Posted , 8 users are following.
i thought i was doing very well getting down to 1 mg, for about 3 weeks then the pain started again tried to manage for w hile untill it got worse. so went up to 2 mg. around 5 weeks ago, then pain stedily worsend. till yesterday went to 3 mg. but the question is. instead of chaseing the pain, by uping the pred by 1 .to see if i can cope, or do i go to 5/6 mg then start to reduce back at a later date. so worrid of taking too much pred, i have been on it for 3 years
0 likes, 9 replies
EileenH pauline36422
Posted
Don't worry about taking too much pred - you were obviously OK at a very low dose - anything under 5mg is low and is less than your body makes naturally so the risk of side effects is also low. The risk you take when forcing a reduction and going too low is that you will need a big increase in dose to get it under control again - and bingo, you have ended up taking more than if you had stayed at maybe 5mg for a while.
You also have to get your head around the idea of "I thought I was doing very well getting to 1mg" not being the aim. You want to keep the PMR at bay - not get to zero come what may. Once you try a dose and the pain comes back you need to go straight back to the dose that you were fine at. That's why we say don't reduce too often at this level - at least 2 months at any dose, preferably 3, once you are under 5mg. You need to be sure that the last dose wasn't just below the borderline where it managed the inflammation - it takes time to build up the inflammation to the level where you feel the effects.
Hopefully what I've suggested will do the trick - and start today with taking the rest to give 5mg and see if it is enough to do the trick. If not - a short sharp blast will be needed. But you will be back to 5mg by next weekend and probably to 3 or 4 very soon afterwards. This is what you were looking for - the lowest dose that manages the symptoms. But don't be in a hurry to try below 3mg just yet! MrsO's wonderful rheumy likes his patients at 5mg for anything up to 9 months before reducing further - and it seems to work well.
constance.de EileenH
Posted
lodgerUK_NE constance.de
Posted
Constance, can I be cheeky and ask how you were when you were diagnosed with PMR.
EileenH constance.de
Posted
Even when you stop taking pred it can take up to a year or more to be really back to normal because of your body having to adjust to it not being there. The adding in of the long time at 5mg also probably takes you further down the PMR road - it will go into remission sooner or later for most people but how long it will be can't be forecast. Being on pred for longer in this way may contribute to people having the smoother reduction after. I haven't explained what I mean very well - but 5mg is a low dose and probably doesn't cause much in the way of side-effects. Better a longer time there than rushing and having to go back to the higher doses to sort out a flare.
constance.de lodgerUK_NE
Posted
Had pains for about 2 months, decided to visit dr. ESR 132, CPR 100+ (can't remember exact measurement)! Dr said "I know exactly what it is, but we'll wait for blood results". That was over 3 1/2 years ago.
Very many ups and downs, mainly downs for over one year. Although on pred (at first 40 mg) ESR and CRP kept going up!!!! Hospitalized, they put me up to 60 mg for a short time (I think they were thinking of GCA). Down to 30 mg before leaving hospital.
Thankfully, 10 months ago, I found this site and realized my end wasn't nigh!
Thanks for your interest.
Have a good and pleasant week. C.💐
constance.de EileenH
Posted
Great weather at the moment 24 - 26 degs. Sunny, slight wind - great.
helen19544 EileenH
Posted
Tramadol was the most effective with 5 mg of prednisone then even
tramadol quit working.
pam7653 pauline36422
Posted
pauline36422
Posted
much better when i read the reports, but then again you all will cos you have all been there at some time thanks again xx