I have been taking 10 mgs Pred. Since nov 18th down from 25 mgs diagnosed PMR. In august have been fine on this dose, but the last 2days

[Lionking50]

Have woken up with the usual symptoms pain in upper arms, lower back and legs, also in my hands. When the tabs. Kick in I am fine. Any observations

Lion King50.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Have you been doing a lot over Christmas? You sound to be on the edge of the dose you need to control your PMR at the moment - and you tend to need more if you aren't going to modify your lifestyle to avoid stress and doing too much. If it continues to get worse you may need to go back up a bit to the dose that will control it. If it is just slightly too low then a low level of inflammation returning would take about 6 weeks to get to a noticeable level.

It took me a lot longer than Aug to Nov to get from 15 to 10 (a few times) - and now I go at 1mg reduction spread over several weeks. Otherwise I have no chance of getting under 10 - now I've managed to get to 6mg.

[Loco99]

Hello Lion King, I take my tablets at about 7 in the morning and sometimes find that the effect wears off in the early hours of the next morning, the dose doesn't always last 24hours. Like you I'm fine once I've taken the next dose.

[Lionking50 in reply to Loco99]

Thanks for the responses to my question, i would rather put up with a few. Hours of pain than up the dose of Pred. Regards lion king.

[Hidden]

I can't help but feel that you have dropped the doses very fast in less than 2 months. I know just how you feel and I guess many have felt the same - you want off this nasty drug, and who would blame you. The side effects can be upsetting and sometimes very scarey. All I can say is that over time I've learned to view pred with different eyes. I have had many of the 'nasties' but as the doses have come down, most have gone away or greatly diminished.

Try to remember that no doctor prescribes pred without good reasons. PMR is, potentially, a very dangerous illness - it is quite capable of inducing GCA. The latter often leads to blindness which, in most cases, cannot be reversed.

After 3 years on steroids, my advice is that you go back to the dose that you were pain free on and hold it there for a few weeks. Then reduce more slowly.

We have just had Christmas with all the extra work it brings for many. I increased my pred dose a little to cope and was fine - the extra was only for a week. Now I am back on 7.5mg again and next week will go to 7mg.

My PMR is mostly gone and I am on the verge, for the 2nd time, of waking up my adrenals - it's tricky, but at least I can 'see the light again' so to speak.

No one can predict how long PMR will last in any one of us, but I believe that in the first year the illness is at it's most dangerous and needs very careful management as it will use every opertunity to flare - it happened to me.

Very Best Wishes,

Pats.