More naps at lower predict doses?

I meant "PRED" DOSES.

Whoever invented 'naps' was a genius.

i have EXACTLY the same question. some say yes, its your adrenals playing catch up, just tough it out, others say go up a little on dose. im using dsns to get to 5 1/2, almost there. the fatigue is gripping. and sometimes i feel fluey. if i go back up to 6, it abates a little, at least i think it does. so for me, its the age old question--power through or increase dosage.

also again, there is no magic answer to this one--how long should i expect the fatigue to last? some say a few weeks, others say until they get to a lower dose, maybe 3, maybe lower. i guess i keep trying to figure out what to expect, what to do to avoid a return of more pain, but the fatigue is rather debilitating on its own. best wishes and let us know what you think.

Clever predictive text!

My theory about the fatigue: this is one reason we have to reduce very very slowly at these lower levels, to give adrenals a chance to catch up. On the other hand we also want to keep challenging them so they do wake up. A balancing act.

Powering through would be ok if it worked but if all it does is put your life on hold it seems pointless. PMR does not reward you for penance and you can't buy indulgencies either.

Around 7 mgs. does seem a common level for glitches to kick in. My sister, who was diagnosed around Christmas 2017 was going along smoothly until she got to, I think, eight and then hit the pain and exhaustion barrier and she felt short changed and indignant. I had still not convinced her that PMR doesn't often follow a diagnosis/ treatment/cure path. Her GP put her right back to 20 temporarily and this time, when she got to around ten, has been following the DSNS method, so far successfully.

This is the fatigue associated with your adrenal function needing to get going again. From now on slow is the best approach - and you need to be at slightly too low a dose to get them to produce their top-up.

Some people have said that they had an awful time from about 7 down to 4 and then suddenly it improved. Some doctors suggest alternating two doses so you can function and stimulate the adrenal function - one lady on another forum is doing 4 and 4.5mg on alternate days and it seems to be helping her.

I suppose it depends on how much you need to function and can't. I got to 4.5mg and was absolutely flattened! Or so I thought until I tried methotrexate for a month when the fatigue was like nothing I'd ever met before!

It's funny how often predict is the offering for pred from predictive text!!!!

I had the most dreadful fatigue at 5mg. My GP suggested I upped to 6mg to try and improve the fatigue and hang around at that level until it improved. Then drop again.

i add I have no PMR pain to speak of and I am doing careful PT. It makes sense that the adrenals need to be stimulated by a dose slightly lower than needed since the endocrine system relies in a feedback mechanism.

I am down to 7 mg. extremely tired all the time. By 3 pm i have to lay down for a nap. last month my esr was 4 xs higher this month 3xs higher. doc says reduce steroids after 1 month. I have blood tests each month. she wants me to call her each month after blood tests to go over my numbers. methotrexate has helped with the pain.