The palps are back!

[Suet3942]

Reduced down to 7.5 on Sunday and have noticed slight palpitations again. When I had reduced to 5mg last year the palpitations were so bad that I had to have heart tests. They couldn’t find anything wrong and they went away when I went up to 10mg after a flare. Is this a normal reaction?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I and two others have had similar problems: we all have atrial fibrillation, managed well normally. Each of us has found at higher doses of pred we have been fine - but at a given dose the palpitations start again and get even worse at lower doses. For me it is 8mg where they start up, short paroxysmal episodes, at 7mg they last most of the afternoon almost every day. At 9mg there is no sign of them unless I am very tired.

When I told the rheumy he just looked confused and said "not my area of expertise"!!! So I shall have to sort out seeing the arrythmia specialist I suppose. If the a/f is under control I don't mind sticking at 9mg rather than 7mg which my rheumy would rather I got to using methotrexate or something. 9mg calms it all down.

[Suet3942 in reply to PMRpro]

I know, sane here. Scary isn’t it?

[readingbooks in reply to PMRpro]

I know your post was a while ago but its very timely for me. I went up to 8 mg from 6 recently as I was not doing well and since then the tachycardia /afib ( over 160 ) has occurred 3 times. After the first time I saw my doctor, had an ecg and wore a monitor for 48 hours. of course they showed nothing abnormal and no tachycardia during that 48 hours. Not sure where to go from here. I have pmr and maybe it is that or maybe pred. I can see my family doctor any time and next appointment with R is in December. b/p always very good especially for my age 80. It's a bit scary !

[Suet3942 in reply to readingbooks]

Morning, yes you’re right it is a bit scary, I am currently at 9/8 mg and have noticed an abnormal rhythm again on occasions. Another problem to contend with when reducing!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to readingbooks]

You probably need a longer duration monitor - there are some you wear for 5 days or even up to a month. It is pointless having one that isn't for long duration if you are only having spasmodic attacks and your GP should realise that.

However, if they got worse when you increased the dose it sounds more like the pred UNLESS it is because you are having a flare. Mine is due to the autoimmune part of PMR and it has got worse with an ongoing flare that has sent me back to needing 15mg which seems to control it whereas before 9mg was enough.

[Suet3942 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your advice.