So much better .

[jura19]

Thank you all for relying to my first post , the theme of advice was that my starting dose of prednisolone at 15mg for a 14st male was probably too low as I was really not feeling good . I immediately upped to 20 mg yesterday and by the afternoon could have jumped a five bar gate (well perhaps a slight exaggeration ) but mentally and physically felt like a different person . My next question is how long do I give it on the increased dose so that I don`t start tapering to quickly , I hate the idea of high steroids but don`t want to be rushing this and getting it wrong . Any advice out there much appreciated .

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, 2 weeks at least- but 4 may be better. See how you feel.

Nobody wants to be on higher doses - but you need what you need! Simple as!

Then reduce sensibly - every 4 weeks @ 2.5mg a time if you can until you get to maybe 15mg - then reevaluate.

Recommendation - do not taper more than 10% of existing dose - at 20mg that’s 2mg but by 15mg it’s 1.5mg.

Incidentally those of us who have/had GCA have been on much higher doses - and survived to tell the tale!

Me - starting dose 80mg.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

20mg is only just "high dose"! Are the symptoms stable is the question, even if you aren't entirely pain-free. Has your GP been checking your blood markers if they were raised?

But please don't try jumping that 5 bar gate!

[Blearyeyed]

I'd give it until after New Year , having 2 weeks minimum 4 weeks averagely to get that until inflammation under control and give you time to get your body balance back before trying to taper for the first time seems to work well.

I wrote a post on ' to taper or not to taper' this week , that might help as it involves a lot of the standard advice , if you press my skeleton avatar you will go to my profile , scroll down the posts to read it. It also has the links in the side bar of the recommended taper methods used by the Forum for you to show the GP and request to be allowed to follow.

For Me , around Christmas, with new medication or a new Illness this isn't the time to taper too quickly , practise Pacing while feeling better first.

[Pixix]

I only upped mine from 15 to 16 and it made a huge difference, glad you are feeling better! I’m staying on 16 for a month, then 15 for a month...recommended by my doctor & agreed by me! I was only diagnosed in November and don’t want to slide backwards!

[piglette]

That is FANTASTIC news, I am so happy for you.