Advice please.

[maria40]

I've just completed my first full week on 7mg after a very slow reduction. For the last three days I have had slight niggles and pulsing on my right temple which was where my GCA has made itself known in the past. As this symptom is very slight should I press on with 7mg for another few days or take it as an early warning signal and go back up to 7.5 which was my previous dose? Any advice welcome.

[Hidden]

Sometimes it’s very hard to know Maria, l’m a PMR’er so do not have any personal experience, but the whole idea of the very slow reduction is it’s so much easier to go back to the previous dose & l’d be inclined to do that.

I’m sure an experienced GCA Member will give you further advice.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I would be inclined to go back up to 7.5mg - you’ll know within a few days whether it’s working.

As we’re always saying, 0.5mg doesn’t sound a lot, but it can be the difference between being enough - and not!

As you know you are at the level where adrenals begin to come into the equation so you need to be extra careful with reducing.

Are you using a slow taper like DSNS or this one, if not it might be wise to consider -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[maria40 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you D.L. I have been using the DSNS taper and it's been working really well. I suspect that adrenals are perhaps stirring as I've been having alternate energetic and lethargic days. Today I haven't had a twinge yet so perhaps I'll wait and see what happens by tomorrow and if I do get any more I'll go back up for a week or so. I also realise that I've been developing a sinusy cold (no such word but don't know how else to describe it) which certainly won't have helped.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to maria40]

No, it won't have helped, so it could just be that. Matter of waiting and seeing probably. But you know what to do if things don't improve.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I agree with DL - but in view of the cold maybe give it another few days. But more niggles - back to 7.5mg. Even waiting a month to try again may be enough to ease it through.