At 10 now where

[Nap1]

Diagnosed with GCA and started on 40 mg of prednisone in July 2015. Slowly reduced and now at 10. Will be having eye surgery next month and I'm wondering should I increase before the surgery. When I had PMR in 2012 had knee replacement and received Cortizone shots before and after surgery. This Eye surgery Will take about 30 minutes and I do not go to sleep. I never remember the name of the disease but it comes from extremely dry eyes and the prednisone made it so much worse. I have waited a year to have this surgery. The other question is at 10 and ifbloods are normal should I go to nine? Surgery is scheduled for November 30Th. I am on day number 22 at 10 mg. So by the time I have surgery I could be on 9 mg for a month. My fear is a relapse. What is the best way for me to go although nothing is a sure thing With this disease. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If it were me I would stick at 10mg until after the surgery - one top PMR/GCA group keeps their patients on 10mg for a year before reducing any further so a month isn't going to be a problem!

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

I wouldn't increase - I'd discuss that with the surgeon. The usual procedure these days is to monitor the patient closely post-op and possibly give pred in the infusion during the operation. It all depends on the anaesthetist and surgeon (there should be an anaesthetist there even if it isn't a GA).

If you are good on 10mg I really wouldn't rock the boat before the surgery when you have waited so long. Stability is very important and you have nothing to lose by sticking where you are for another 6 weeks,

Good luck!

[Nap1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you pro I did think it was best to stay on the 10. It is very difficult having this disease and being in the US. They know much less then you folks There should be an anesthesiologist but I will not get to talk to the doctor until the day of surgery. Actually I will need several surgeries but we will do one Eye at a time. He wanted to wait until 7.5 but if I get to that I most likely will have an adrenal problem. Thank you for your educated opinion. I do hope my rheumatologist doesn't give me a tough time because I do not want to reduce. It is my body after all. They do not monitor you after surgery. surgery is one half hour then I will have to go to a motel sleep over that night and go back the next day for him to check the surgery. It's tough I am going to the best eye clinic Bascom Palmer in the US. But that is all they do. I will try to get blood drawn after the surgery to see how the CRP is doing.