Hello! I have had a very unavoidable busy three days (my daughters 40th birthday and grandson visit. Now have relatives to stay 😊)and finding it hard to keep up!
We will be out all day today and I am in pain before I start! Currently on 3mg Pred, but wondering if OK to increase the dose for the day to help me through? Whilst I have tried to explain my predicament, unfortunately my relatives don’t get PMR and how it affects me.
Can you help please? 🤔
You could try 5 mgs and drop down for the day. You are running on empty though, and for this we pay, as you know. They’d know if it was me, I get snappy, grouchy, grimly quiet. 🐻
Thanks Jane. I may try that then. Fortunately - or maybe unfortunately for me, I am quite good at hiding my grouchiness! Feel as if I am running a hotel right now and that they think I am making the whole PMR thing up! ☹️
As SheffieldJane says no problem to go up for the odd day ...... or two.
But looking at your recent posts, I do wonder if you have gone below the amount of Pred you actually need....perhaps something you should think about once your visitors have gone and you’re back into a normal routine.
Thank you. You may well be right. I will keep a close eye on myself. I have been referred back to the rheumatologist but regrettably the appointment is not until the end of September.
You do have a lot going on, but as you know PMR does invariably last a lot longer than 2 years.
Take care.
Hi songbird. If you are in pain to start with then you are probably at too lower dose. I wondered when you were diagnosed, how long you have been at 3mg and how long you have had a return if pain? I don't think I have increased for family events unless I really have to. I usually do a couple of days of plus 5mg if I feel symptoms returning. If I was at 3mg and suffering symptoms I had with pmr I would increase regardless of family visit. What's the point in suffering when plus 5mg is still only 8mg and @natural dose?
I hope you have a brilliant time. Build in some rest and don't try and keep.up with people who don't understand chronic illness. I smile and say I will wait here. 🌻💃💃
Hi Poopadoop. I was diagnosed two years ago and have been on 3mg since the end of March. I was going to stay on that level until my rheumatology appointment at the end of September - as whilst my inflammatory markers are up a bit, no one knows if it is down to the PMR or Crohns. I confuse even myself, but maybe it’s a bit of both.
The steroids are no good for Crohns and causes a flare in that department unfortunately so I am between the devil and the deep blue sea!
Ha. I see. I am currently being investigated for a tummy issue so have been thinking about what I will do if pred is making it worse. You see more info leads to more specific advice. If 2 days won't impact too much on Crohn's I would at least control PMR pain when visitors come.
Thank you so much. That’s really helpful. Good luck with your own investigations. It’s a difficult balance
and I find even the coated pred upsets my system. I take omaprezole when I need to, but not regularly as that brings it’s own long term effects.
Keep smiling.
Have a good visit. 🌻
But steroids are often USED to manage flares of Crohns.
webmd.com/ibd-crohns-diseas...
Hi, yes, you are absolutely right, but only for relatively short term use - and they like to use budesonide as they are slow release and by-pass the gut.
My rheumatologist said that long term pred wouldn’t do my Crohns any good, and previous to being diagnosed with PMR, I had the Crohns under control. I have a Crohns flare up every time I change my prednisolone dosage for a short while.
Does it make a difference how much you reduce by? If you were to reduce 1/2mg at a time would that be less of an upset?
Hello. That is what I have been doing - I was going to drop on the dead slow method to 2.5 but think I should perhaps leave it for a while.
Yes - but it will only be any point if you are on enough pred to manage your symptoms.
Do I increase dose?
Increase dose or accept where I am?
Should I increase my Pred dose?
Can I increase pred for a couple of days 
How fast can I reduce dose after brief increase? 
