CRP and ESR

[Alliswellforever]

Greetings! I would like to know of anyone with (still) elevated CRP and ESR 3 months after initial treatment. ( values are equal pre-Prednisone, but there was a close to normal results after a month of 15 mg ) Is that common? Even if there’s major improvement in symptoms?

[SheffieldJane]

I know from PMRPro that all manner of things can raise inflammation levels from the common cold to more worrisome things. Presumably you’ve had wide ranging bloods done etc.?

[Alliswellforever in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have had a very comprehensive test evaluation. Thinking of PMR flare up...

[Constance13]

What ISN’T common is “major improvement” after 3 months. Most of us have almost immediate improvement after Pred, but it doesn’t last very long for most of us - reality about PMR steps in.

Some have normal blood readings right from the start (our ‘expert’ PMRpro) has had no elevated blood result in 11 years!!

You need to read many of the previous posts to learn about how we all cope - one way or another.

I have had elevated blood readings from the start (6 1/2 years ago).

ATB from Constance. 💐💐

[Alliswellforever in reply to Constance13]

I had improvement since the first couple of days that is ongoing up to now, although I’m extremely fatigued all the time. I also have Fibromyalgia, so for me, it’s sometimes hard to differentiate between the two of them. The classic shoulder and hip pain is almost completely gone.

This is all so confusing, right?! 🎄❄️🎄

[Constance13 in reply to Alliswellforever]

Right! And you’ve only just started!! If you have any questions, worries, there is always someone on the forum willing to talk/help/commiserate.

You may be one of the lucky ones and get over this pesky illness in a couple of years. Good luck! 💐💐

[Alliswellforever in reply to Constance13]

Thanks ✨🎄❄️✨🌲❄️✨

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Personally my levels went really low early days (but on considerably more Pred than you) but then went back to what is considered by some to be “normal”. But your normal won’t be my normal!

However as Jane says many things can affect inflammation levels - it doesn’t necessarily have to be PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I'm not clear - are you still on pred? If so, what dose. You say "initial treatment" - PMR doesn't respond to one-off treatment, it is a chronic illness that has a median duration of 5.9 years and requires pred for the entire time.

IF your blood markers fell initially and then rose again there are two possible reasons: you have reduced the dose of pred too far to manage the daily dose of inflammation or the PMR is possibly progressing towards GCA and increasing the amount of inflammation.

[Alliswellforever in reply to PMRpro]

I am at 9 mg Prednisone, scheduled tapering to 8 next Wednesday. It’s my third month of Prednisone. The markers fell and then went to pre Prednisone levels. I feel a lot better in terms of pain, but extremely tired. Waiting for doctor’s response...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Alliswellforever]

I wouldn't reduce any further. Fatigue is something else, but you should never feel worse after reducing to a new dose than you did at the previous dose. There should be no increase in pain or stiffness. The fact that the markers have gone back up suggests the dose is no longer enough - and you risk heading to a flare. That is a warning to stop reducing and see what happens to the markers. If they continue rising you need to raise the dose too.

You are never reducing relentlessly to zero - you are looking for the lowest dose that manages the symptoms. In the early stages that is mostly higher than it will be later - to have got down below 10mg in such a short time means you must be close to the dose you need.

[Alliswellforever in reply to PMRpro]

Very helpful! Thank you so much!

[piglette]

Most people seem to get their readings near normal quite quickly, some people, around 20%, never have raised readings in the first place, I have never been normal for either ESR or CRP in four years, they have always been pretty high, ESR in the 50s and CRP in the 20s. Doctors now just shake their heads and say it is normal for me!

[Constance13 in reply to piglette]

Last sentence! Same here.😂

[Alliswellforever in reply to piglette]

ESR is 68 and CRP 28, but They are a little higher than pre Pred.😫 So it’s all very confusing! After one month of Pred, they went close to normal. Two months later, boom! Maybe it’s normal for me too... 🎄❄️🌲

[piglette in reply to Alliswellforever]

I must admit I would love to know why my readings are so high. The doctors obviously have not got a clue. Interestingly enough the readings always rise quite a lot each April and I have always had problems with rape, the plant that is. I wake one morning and know it is in flower. I wonder if it is causing something strange.