Advice please.: I've just completed my first full... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

20,119 members37,703 posts

Advice please.

maria40 profile image
5 Replies

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.

Written by
maria40 profile image
maria40
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
5 Replies

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 profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk 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 profile image
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 profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk 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 profile image
PMRproAmbassador

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.

You may also like...

Advice on tapering needed PLEASE

when I went to 7mg it all went wrong! Usually when I start a taper the first 5to7 days brings some...

Advice please - 1st post

for 10 days. 15mg Prednisolone - magic, immediately. GP returned, and cut to 10mg after 10 days,...

Update & More Advice Please

until the 14 days are up (which I'm assuming I should count from my first increase to 6mg which was...

tooth extraction advice please

extracted. Yikes. Am on 7mg a day and was about to do slow slow dead stop reduction to 6.5mg pred....

Steroid advice please.

noticed, in the last few days some of the initial stiffness I had in the early days, returning in...