Update re work

[Fozzes]

Hello everyone. Was signed off for 2 weeks in the end, from my 3 day a week gardening job. I’ve then returned doing half days (in the afternoon) and am taking it easy. Work have been supportive and have referred me to occupational health which I will see shortly. Meds have been 15mg for 2 weeks but reduced to 10mg this week (my 3rd week) and I aim to reduce by another 1mg next week. I am feeling it though, not sleeping great and getting myself going in the morning is painful and takes a while. After reading some of your experiences I realise it could be a lot worse. I’ll keep you posted ....... good luck everyone 🙂

[Hidden]

Hi Fozzes

I’m pleased to hear you had a bit more time off work & they are getting Occupational Health in at Work for you.

My initial thought is, it’s quite a big drop from 15mg > 10mg & you might have benefitted more going from 15mg > 12.5mg? You have to remember the disease itself is still running along underneath & the Pred is merely dampening down the inflammation, so l wouldn’t be too quick to drop further again too soon.

I think you may benefit from sitting tight at 10mg or discuss with your GP going up to 12.5mg especially as you have returned to work.

Let us know how you are getting on.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[Fozzes]

Thank you, I think you’re right and I’ll be ringing my doctor on Monday morning! Think I’ve reduced too much too quickly AND returned to work. We all know we’ve to listen to our bodies now and my body is saying Nooooo!

[Hidden in reply to Fozzes]

Good Man! You have to find a compromise to keep you out of pain & back doing what you enjoy!

Good Luck 🍀

Have a Good Weekend

MrsN

[Blearyeyed in reply to Fozzes]

I agree with Mrs Nails , not just because it is a big drop anyway , but that with the physical work you need to do you may need to be even more careful and conscious to reduce your steroid dose more slowly .

Especially at the beginning of the condition because you are physically pushing the parts of your body that are most effected by PMR activity with the work you do.

This might make it more difficult to clear your inflammation fully or could trigger pain and inflammation and cause more Fatigue more easily .

I know my groundwork and heavy gardening activities did that to me.

[Fozzes in reply to Blearyeyed]

I am taking it easy at work. Not currently doing any of the heavy work however it’s still taking its toll

[suzy1959]

I agree- that was a big drop - over the recommended 10%- and at a very early stage. I hope you can avoid having a flare by upping your dose ASAP. Take it slowly- there really isn’t any rush as you are likely to be on pred. for a few years until the PMR decides to leave. Your work is physical too which need to be taken into account.

[Fozzes in reply to suzy1959]

I’ve decided I can’t wait till Monday so have taken my extra 5mg today. I’ll inform the doctor on Monday though

[YuliK]

That's pretty hard work for someone with pmr. Keep well.

[SheffieldJane]

Thank goodness for enlightened employees. I would not have managed a drop from 15mgs to 10 mgs. I would have had to do it 2.5 mgs at a time, always checking to see that my symptoms have settled. Sometimes I stayed at a dose for 6 weeks. The aim is to get to the lowest possible dose that gives you relief. Big drops and you can miss that optimum dose. After 10 mgs I was going down by 0.5 mgs, using a pill cutter. Even then I stalled at 7 mgs for a year. Take great care, especially as you are working. My insomnia was greatly helped by 10 mgs of Amitriptylin taken one hour before bed. There was no sensation of being on a drug. My body just felt comfortable and relaxed.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think that is far too fast a reduction - or at least, too big a step. And since you need to be able to function in the morning - what about either taking the pred before bed or splitting to dose, taking maybe 2/3 in the morning and the rest at a later point in the day which should take the effect overnight through to the morning so you get a better start to the day.

And yes - don't reduce and change activity conditions at the same time!!! Confuses the issue no end ...

[HeronNS]

Slowly often works better and leads to a lower lifetime intake of pred. I started at 15. Unlike everyone else I've read on the forums my doctor said to reduce (after a total of five weeks at 15) by 1 mg per week, stopping the reduction if I felt pain returning. At 9 I knew I'd gone a step too far, returned to 10 for two or three weeks, then started the dead slow taper. By the end of a year on pred I was down to 3 mg. With the exception of one serious flare brought on by an ill advised attempt to get to zero, I have remained below 3, usually at 2 or even less, for the past two years. I'm currently very cautiously dipping my toe into 1 mg territory from 1.5 (like testing every ten days or so until my body doesn't notice the difference, then I'll try the same with a shorter interval). I credit being at this low dose to my early very gentle taper.

[Fozzes in reply to HeronNS]

That seems to make a lot more sense! Well done.

[katiemills]

Are you new to the forum ? There are tapering plans that you can download . I agree with everyone else - you're doing too fast a taper . Good luck !

[Fozzes in reply to katiemills]

Yes, I’m knew. Only diagnosed recently. I’ll try and download a tapering plan, thank you

[Fozzes in reply to Fozzes]

New not knew.....predictive keyboard!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Fozzes]

Here is mine:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Fozzes]

Thank you, that’s really interesting and helpful. Will be bringing this up with my doctor tomorrow