Can you just remind me learned PMR Comrades

[JulieR2]

Hi everyone

I wondered if I could ask your views. I have reduced slowly from 4mgs to 3mgs. Started taking 3mgs everyday over weekend. I am so tired I feel wiped out! I am also stiffer after sitting for any length of time. It’s not painful but I am

Definitely seizing up! Having read advice of the past I think it’s the reduction from 4mgs to 3mgs that is making me feel like this? Rather than a flare I think it would be too soon for a flare???

My plan was to stick at 3mgs for the next week to see if I can get through it? Advice and insights would be gratefully received.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Were you OK at 4mg? Can you manage to do 1/2mg drops? How long did you take to drop the 1mg?

[JulieR2 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi there I was okay at 4 I took 3 weeks to drop. I guess I could try going up by Half

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JulieR2]

I think I would - and to do the other half of the drop I'd take a good month if not more. Below 5mg it gets harder...

[SheffieldJane]

What about trying 3.5? 0.5 is quite significant at these low doses. I wouldn’t be too worried about taking my time, the side effects will be negligible and the benefits huge.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi JulieR2,

Definitely try by 0.5mg it really does make a difference. Plus as others have said each drop becomes bigger in percentage terms, so the smaller the reduction the better. And don’t push it, at these levels the Pred is doing you no harm, but a lot of good!

[JulieR2 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks for reminding me. It definitely feels like a new phase. As with the rest of the journey you don’t realise until it hits you. But it’s really amazing at 4mgs I felt really good and at 3mgs I was reminded that I am not in control!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JulieR2]

Then go back to 4mg - it is a really low dose. Better that than risk a flare and needing a much higher dose. It doesn't mean you won't get lower - just not yet. There is no hurry.

[Mrs-CJ]

I am at 2 3/4 mgs of prednisone for my PMR. Once I got to about 4 mgs I found I could only reduce by 1/4 mg.....so if 1/2 doesn’t work for you then keep in mind you can cut those little white pills even smaller with a sharp knife! I always use the DSNS reduction plan.

[JulieR2 in reply to Mrs-CJ]

Thanks so much I will try that today.