Fast tapering.

[IdasMum]

I am not doing too badly considering.

2 weeks ago I was on 12 mg and am now 4 days into 6mgs.

I thought it would be worse than this.

I am getting many of my aches & pains back but not currently as acute. No longer doing stairs like a proper person and some days needing 2 naps in the day.

I had a blood test a few days ago and my CRP is rising and my blood glucose levels are falling (which is a relief). Bone Density is good too which is pleasing.

I guess I am still in a honeymoon phase and when i drop to 3mg on Weds will really feel the effects. I have resigned myself to feeling this way whilst my new rheumy tries to establish my diagnosis. All investigations so far have thrown up nothing of note.

My friend (retire GP) suggested it would be good for me to go as long as poss before getting new tests....to allow for the CRP to be at it's worse. I am inclined to agree and will do my best.

[markbenjamin57]

Hello Idasmum

You seem to be doing quite well, but my worry is the very fast / big drop from 12mgpd to 6 (Pred, I assume?) in just 2 weeks, which is WAY outside of the guidelines of a recommended max 10% drop per month (or even less / slower)! This could well be the cause of the symptoms you describe...

From all I know from (painful) personal experience and the experts on this site, Small and Gradual reductions in preds are key at any stage in the process, and especially at lower levels (< 10mgpd), to avoid nasty withdrawal symptoms or even an adrenal crisis - which is far more serious.

Also, too fast / great a reduction usually means 'going back to square one' at a higher dose again to get the PMR symptoms back under control (which takes time) - and then yo-yo-ing up / down with dosages which makes for a longer tapering process overall.

As many here know, it's not a 'race to zero', and caution and patience are essential for a smooth (or as smooth as can be possible) process. Personally I'd advise staying on a dosage 'plateau' and NOT attempting to reduce further right now - but hopefully your GP / rheumatologist will advise you according to results of the tests.

Sorry this isn't more helpful but it's how I have come to understand things in the often rather unpredictable PMR / pred tapering process.

Mark B.

[IdasMum in reply to markbenjamin57]

markbenjamin57 don't worry. If you see my previous post on this board you'll see that it is the intention of my new Rheumy to take me back to pre Preds state to fully establish my diagnosis.

[markbenjamin57 in reply to IdasMum]

Ah, sorry, I didn't see that.

Let's hope that your new Rheumy is on the ball and can confirm things either way. As I know, uncertainty around the diagnosis of an illness can be as unsettling as the uncertainty that an illness brings in itself!

Fingers crossed for you, will follow your updates with interest

MB

[IdasMum in reply to markbenjamin57]

Thanks...I am pretty sure it's PMR and it's important to be sure so I am not taking steroids unnecessarily.

[piglette]

It sounds a very strange way of checking if you have PMR. Normally it is a week on steroids at one dose. Sometimes a steroid sandwich is tried with a week on vit C a week on steroids around 15mg then another week on vit C. The trouble is if you are on steroids for too long say over a couple of weeks or so your adrenal glands go to sleep which means tapering and all the problems of steroid withdrawal. Taking them for a short period you can just stop.