Soooo, I'm supposed to be reducing to 40 mg today; however I am not really feeling it.
I've been lacklustre, tired, loss of appetite, had a stuffy nose, cough... In fact, Tuesday's blood tests results reviled that my white blood count is high, indicating there's "something" going on in there.
So, I'm thinking I'll just stay on 45mg until "this" (whatever this is) passes.
So have I - in fact, I've learned everything I know from this site and from my 'mistakes'!
I've flared twice by continuing to reduce when (in hindsight) I shouldn't have - hopefully there won't be a third time, hence the 40 days on the higher dose.
With Prednisolone, as I'm sure you already know, it is always better to listen to your body rather than follow a schedule. Reduce when you feel you are ready. However frustrating, just take your time, you will get there
Hi. I went down to 20 mg last week after four weeks at 25.mgs. Thought I was doing ok but now head sore on pillow today and hips sore upon waking for two days running with a raised diastolic BP and pulse! . Like you am desperate for a reduction (more because of side effects) but had to accept today that I have to go back up so took 2.5 extra milligrams!, taking me to 22.5. HALF your 45! Will see what tomorrow brings, hope you feel better tomorrow xx
Hi, I am sure I should not read your (very funny) rants. I have now had a chest infection followed by the dreaded thrush. Gp said it wasn't thrush, rheumy said it is. I'll take the pills anyway. Roll on holiday to Menorca. yehhhhh! Hopefully my voice will be back by then, At least the little granddaughter isn't put off by the croaking.
I agree with you, I wouldn’t reduce with a cold, cough and high white cell count either. I missed you and you probably have only been gone 24 hours. Old movies and the duvet for you I guess.
I could hardly get out of bed for low back pain today. Absolutely no exertion yesterday but I did entertain a little negative thinking, like you do. 🙇♀️ So PMR monster got some sugar.
Mine eases as I move around, so move around I must.
On my keyboard which is an IPad there is a smiley face icon. When I tap on it I get the whole array of them. I tap on the one I want and it appears. I don’t know how I would add one with my PC. Try googling the question with your machine type.
Maybe stay where you are for a week or so, and then maybe consider reducing by 2.5 instead of 5 when you do step down. See where you are then after 10 days to two weeks, and if OK, drop the other 2.5. Maybe a more shallow curve will get you to the same place. You can't split the pills if they're coated, though.
Ya gotta eat. I haven't had an appetite for months now, but I eat anyway. I know I'll never get better unless my body gets the nutrients it needs. I also find that a little caffeine and some complex carbs mid-morning boosts my energy levels. (Yes, I know "carb" is a dirty word around here, but a cup of oatmeal with fruit and a little honey is fuel for an active day. It also makes a nice landing pad for the calcium pills that were giving me heartburn.)
Elevated WBC is not unusual when taking pred. It's not necessarily an indication that something else is going on. Your sniffles and cough could be from a cold, or could also be a reaction to a delayed spring with everything coming into bloom at once. Here in NYC, that's dumping loads of all kinds of pollen in the air all at once, and even we who have never had spring allergies are feeling scratchy and sniffley.
Don’t forget though that Pred stimulates production of Neutrophils which will put up your white cell count, it’s just that it makes them less useful as well so the net effect isn’t a better equipped immune system. My spell checker kept insisting it replaces white with shite. Perhaps my iPad is in tune with your predicament, amazing what technology can do eh?
Melissa, They say 60 is the new 40. With me 78 is the new 98. I have been exhausted since returning from Paris in March. I have upped my Pred from 3.5 to 7.....no difference. I have gastritis like there is no tomorrow and a cough like something banging against a shut door.... know what I mean?. The pharmacist says it is a GERD cough. Seemingly you can have this without heartburn which I haven't had since I was preggers all those years ago..... 4 times. Anyhow apart fro this I am wonderful. May
I have gone back on Lansoprozole which I had stopped taking. I had an endoscopy about 3 or 4 years ago and gastritis was diagnosed. It doesn't always bother me but when it does it is so painful. Just above my belly button. Gaviscon is my medication of choice. I have not gone to the doctor because I have not taken the AA prescribed for my osteoporosis and don't feel like an argument. I am on BP med, levothyroxine and VitD calcium, K2 and magnesium as well as Pred of course. I am not sure I have GERD.
If you have chronic gastritis you SHOULDN'T be even offered AA in oral form. That was what I was wondering. Has your doctor not offered you enteric coated pred - that also reduces the problem of gastritis.
I would like to endorse PMRpro's advice re gastro-resistant pred. I have suffered from gastritis related problem for many years. The coated pred makes such a difference to the amount of acid produced. I can certainly recommend it.
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Will see what tomorrow brings, hope you feel better tomorrow xx
Break-thru shooting pain in glutes & coccyx. Taking 40+ mg pred, still not under control.
The Reflective Side: Rachael Bland, BBC Presenter and Devoted Young Mother passes away at the tender age of 40 from incurable Cancer.
Forty, Quaranta, Vierzig, Cuarenta, Quarante, Σαράντα...
To PMRPro or anyone knows my crazy history feel free to pop in
First rheumatologist appointment today. I’d value opinions of experience please 
