I am a. 78year old male and started with pmr few months ago. Doc put me on pred n6x5mg /day for 7daysafter1stday I felt nearly free of it

[Eddyfly]

Continued on pred for another week or so at reduced dose BUT it has now stared again but in only one leg mainly in the buttock so now on pred doc said 1x5mg per day but as pain is pretty bad I've put myself on 4x5mgs per day just hope doc doesn't disapprove and cross me off !! It seems to be worst when I've been sitting and get up from my chair so here's hoping preds do the trick again

[polkadotcom]

If I've read that right, it seems a rather strange reduction plan. Most patients with PMR are started on 15mg (3x5mg tabs) occasionally 20mg and the opinion of most of the powers-that-be suggest a reduction to zero over 2 years.

I do hope you get relief from the 20mg Pred but don't reduce too quickly as that is a perfect recipe for a flare-up of symptoms and could well be the reason you are now in pain again. Very slow gradual reduction is by far the best.

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member]

Hi Eddyfly

It does seem to be the case that the smaller you are the less pred you need as a starting dose. So if you are a biggish man 20 might be right. If you are smaller then 15 might be the way to go, but you may need to be on a dose of around 10 for some time before your symptoms settle down.

[Eddyfly in reply to Polywotsit]

Hi Kate thanks for your comment I will be talking to my doc later today to hear what he has to say