Back on Prednisolone

[Mischevious]

Thank goodness for this forum, I can have a moan and people understand. Feeling a bit p***** off today, last prednisolone 17 September, not feeling so good lately, aches in arms and shoulders, problems with fatigue, wife says I look 10 years older. Saw rheumy this morning, back on Prednisolone, 15 mg for one week, then 10 mg for four weeks, 7½ after that. The question that then comes to mind is should I follow the very slow reduction programme, it worked very well for me last time, or does taking the medication foe a short time not give rise to the same difficulties?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

That's a shame, bit of a bummer isn't it.

The reduction from 15 down to 7.5mg as he's given should be fine since you've been off pred for 6 months. The only query I would have is that he is assuming that you will be fine at 7.5mg this time because you obviously were last time but I also imagine he would put you back up a bit if you weren't. The people I know who have had PMR twice say the two episodes were totally different in many ways.

The very slow reduction is for 2 reasons, one to trick your body into not noticing as much as the dose is reduced when you have been on pred for a longish time (more than a few months). The other is to identify the "right" dose for your illness without overshooting the mark.

Good luck - and I hope you've caught it quickly enough to kick it into the long grass fast.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Mischevious, not surprised you're feeling so fed up. One dose of PMR is quite sufficient! However, I am in touch with a couple of people who have recently had a return of symptoms, one of whom had been steroid-free for many months. Both have been put back on Pred at just 5mgs which is proving successful for them, with one having just reduced back down to 4mg. So I think you need to see how you feel on the 7.5 dose and, if pain-free, perhaps try alternate days of 7.5 and 5mgs for a while. It's very much a case of seeing how you go between now and then. I hope all goes well.

[paddyfields in reply to Celtic]

Thanks for the above posts. I am currently down to 2 mg and holding. I am going to see the GP as there was no discussion of a maintenance dose when I last saw the rheumy a month ago and I have been a year without the magic effect of 10-15 mg I am fed up with the aches and pains sore muscles and disturbed sleep , mostly lower half but restricted arm movement and headaches as well. which, fortunately have never been as drastic as some I read of here but quite enough thank you. It was when I got down to 4mg that I had trouble rising from a chair or going up stairs so I am going to try 5 mg and see how that goes with So useful to have other peoples experiences.

[Christophene47]

Slow is best. It's always going to be a balancing game. It is three years now . How are you doing?