CRP creeping up

[Robinsnest72]

Just read my blood report from yesterday. Do not go to Rheumy till October. CRP has creeped up to 5.7 which is showing HI. It has gone up a bit each month as I have been reducing. ESR remained the same at 10. WBC came down. I just increased my pred from 6 to 8. Hope that is enough. Your opinion please.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

When did it start to creep up? Do you have any other problems at present? A cold or chest infection maybe? Any symptoms of PMR returning?

[Robinsnest72 in reply to PMRpro]

Am like Frankenstein in the mornings. Aching a lot. No cold or chest infection.Been creeping up for 3 months

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinsnest72]

And the aching coincides with the increasing CRP? You should NEVER feel worse at the end of a reduction step than you did at the beginning of it - how you felt on the starting dose is your guide. You are looking for the lowest dose that gives the same result as then.

You've gone back to 8 - or do you need 9? Or do you need a few days at 10 or even 12 to get the accumulated inflammation out of the way and then drop back to 8 or 9 (you can do that up to a week to 10 days).

[Robinsnest72 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for this info. My diary is showing I felt good on 9 and my blood readings were good then. I will up it to that for a week and then drop back to 8. Hopefully this will get rid of the inflammation. I have followed what he said in doing 1 mg reductions but am going to change it to 1/2 mg.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinsnest72]

But if you were good at 9mg - maybe that is where you need to be for now, not 8 as that sounds as if that was where it started to go pear-shaped.

[Bridge31 in reply to PMRpro]

What should the readings be ? I’m sure someone said my ESR was 90 but perhaps I misheard 9. !!

I’ve never been shown any of my blood results.

I was told my CRP was a little raised and my Vitamin D was 45 and should be above 50.

Having lots of time to post as it’s still inclement weather here in The algarve 😢

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bridge31]

ESR should be below 20 ideally although some doctors remain fixated on the old upper level of 30 for older patients. It doesn't vary from lab to lab, it is a measure of how fast the red cells settle to the bottom of a vertical tube - no chemicals or reactions involved! It may well have been 90 - that is very high but is seen, especially if you haven't been diagnosed quickly. On the other hand, for 20% of patients it never gets out of normal range although that doesn't mean it isn't raised for them. Unfortunately a lot of doctors appear not to understand how "normal range" works ...

Don't worry - sun should shine tomorrow!

[Bridge31 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you

[Robinsnest72 in reply to Bridge31]

In Canada where I live Iam told my ESR should be in the range if 0-29. Best under 12 and the CRP is 0-10. My blood work shows if it is above 5 it is flagged as High. Last week was 5.7. When I first became ill my ESR was 25 and my CRP 53. I came down to ESR 5 and my CRP 2.6 but as I reduce the prednisone the markers come up again. It is to bad you do not see the blood work. I have my testing done at Lab and results are received on my computer next day. It is quite informative and a good way to keep a record.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinsnest72]

But some people have a personal normal of 20 or more that cannot be got lower. Everyone has their own personal normal - the normal range is what will be found in a population at least 10,000 healthy people - I do wish they'd understand normal ranges ...

[Robinsnest72 in reply to PMRpro]

Which is most important?ESR or CRP and which number shows the inflammation going up? My ESR remained at 10 for last two readings

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinsnest72]

Both can and do. But not for everyone - mine do next to nothing! You do have to get yours done regularly for a while if you can and keep a diary - and match levels to your experiences.

If the number is going up - so is the inflammation. But one raised value without an increase in symptoms means nothing because they are such non-specific tests and will increase with colds, injury, illness and even stress. No symptoms and a raised value means you need to check it in the following week or so - establish a trend.

[Robinsnest72 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks so much for all your input. I learn more off here than from my rhemy .