Flare (of course!) Creeps up when you're not looking!

[IdasMum]

A month ago I was feeling good. Felt on top of the PMR and was about to drop to 10mg.

I weathered the BP issue and new meds didn't cause too many issues apart from ankle swelling during the day. As we were about to leave to visit the UK (again) my Dr rang me to say my Pottasium was low (and will more than likely be causing the Hypertension) so am also now taking SlowK.

UK visit went well and my energy levels were not too bad. Had quite a long walk for me with my friend and her dawgs.

Arrived at my son's over the BH weekend and overnight on Sunday got vertigo AGAIN! There were no plans thankfully for Monday, and sea sickness meds helped me manage well.

I'd begun to feel echoes of my old pains in wrists and had ignored them (I think I'd been ignoring them for longer than before the drop to 10mg.

Whilst we were away my blood results came back and my markers were going up again.

The trip to UK was brief as money is way too tight now with the exch rate so we traveled back 7 hours 6 days after travelling up. Horrible journey down through France in rain that never really let up and low cloud, plus spray from the lorries we passed on the autoroute. I took my turns to drive when Mark was tired although I would have preferred not to (unlike me, I love driving).

We've been back now 10 days and my echoes of aches have carried on creeping up. 4 days ago I upped from 10 to 10.5/11mg on alternate days. Up until yesterday I could have said that I have some pains but not feeling fatigued on exertion. We walked around our little block yesterday, my friend with dogs gave me her spare walking poles which were great and I can tell that when I normalise again they will be great for walking.

We hung the washing out earlier today and I felt the strain on my shoulders, having to drop them to recover before continuing....I had forgotten this I am also groaning when I bend to pick things up and it's becoming very difficult to put my socks on.

We have walked a shortish distance this afternoon as there are some free ranging grapes to be foraged. The grape vines have been left to grow up into low growing bushes. I made this walk because I knew the grapes would be eaten by the birds if I didn't get to them quickly. I struggled going and coming.

I am knackered, have almost run out of spoons and know that my above regime isn't cutting it. I am going to 11mg tomorrow and staying there. We're away again, this time right down south for a real holiday and I want to have some energy to enjoy it. Once we've been and come home I will revisit this.

I can only share one photo. Grapes or Granddaughter........(I was spoilt for choice)

She's now 5 months.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

No contest! She's gorgeous.

Sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations. 11mg may not be enough if you've let things get out of hand. A quick blast of 15mg for a few days may be better, and then back down to 11mg.

Try and get some rest on your holiday!

[IdasMum in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you so much. I will have a quick blast and get back on track.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Think you may need to revisit this sooner than AFTER your holiday down south...

[IdasMum in reply to PMRpro]

I won't stay up for long, just a few days and then taper back to 11mg .

I wasn't clear....we're not away yet, not till 26/09.

[AnneP01]

She's lovely and made me smile. Which is a lovely way to start the day. I hope you have a lovely holiday.

[Grants148]

Hello, sorry to hear you are having problems,I am too.My doctor advised me to reduce to just two mlg of prednisolone,l was getting pain and stiffness in my legs on 3 mlg,so going down lower has made my symptoms even worse.The doctor then said go back up to three mlg.l now feel as bad as l did last year when the polymyalgia was first diagnosed.l have been reducing the medication for over a year, and could have felt OK on 4 mlg, l am now waiting to see my doctor again.l do hope that you will soon feel better.lovely photo of your granddaughter .