Steroids

[Ninnin67]

Good morning,would like some advice plz re steroids. Really having problems getting to below 10mg. On 10 and swelling and pain pretty good below 10 and oh dear terrible. Ra nurse is insistant i stay on 5mg but i cant cope with pain and not being able to do simpky things ie dress. Been on steroids 10wks waiting to start another drug but getting nowhere fast. Thank u

[KittyJ]

I’m glad you’re starting a new drug so hopefully once that starts to work you will be able to drop the steroids. That period of waiting for new meds to work is a very difficult time. Do come here for support when you need it. I hope you have good pain meds whilst you are waiting.

[Nsmith13]

I’m on 10 have been for months tried numerous bios but keep ending bk on steroids it’s so difficult otherwise pain is unbearable good luck on any new treatments

[charisma]

Hi N

Have you started on DMARDs yet? You did not say what the other drug you are waiting for is, or why you need to wait. DMARDs are designed to control disease activity, reducing damage to your joints.

Steroids only reduce inflammation and do not prevent damage to joints. Plus they are more dangerous than DMARDs, causing great harm over time if continued at higher doses.

RA is not controlled with steroids but they are given to assist until DMARDs become effective, usually after 12 weeks. With the test results you posted that indicate mild disease, yours could probably respond quickly to proper RA drug treatment.

I hope you get the right treatment soon. 🙂

[Luisa1987 in reply to charisma]

ive been on steroids for 20 years normally a maintenance dose of 5mg i have lupus but when i have a flare up i have to take 20mg a day until i start to feel a bit better the 10 then back to 5. i coulnt function without them. I have PAF also going for a second ablation in November.

[charisma in reply to Luisa1987]

Hi Luisa

That is a low dose comparatively speaking. Some diseases require 40-60mg for a while. I had a week of high dose before diagnosis when It was necessary to go to the emergency room.

Even so, whenever possible, it is best to not take steroids. Like you, I cannot function at the moment without them. But they are not the best treatment long term for controlling disease activity.

I hope you are doing well at present. I have friends with SLE or Lupus and know they struggle at times. PAF too must be scary at times. Take care of yourself. 🙂

[Chrisellie]

Try this link to reduction methods from THE PMR GCA part of the HU.website

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...