6th week update

[Chevypickup]

seen my rheumatologist for the first time yesterday.

She says I am a text book for PMR. 6 weeks ago my Dr. put me on 40 mg of prednisone, now I am at 20 mg. She say that I should stay on 20 mg for two weeks, then start by reducing by 1/2 a pill every week. So i am on 4 pills now for two weeks then down to 3 1/2 for one week and so on till I am at 10 mg, 2 pills. Than I am to stay on 10 mg till May 07, I have appointment to see her and we will go from there. She told me just see how I feel everytime I reduce. Once I am on 10 mg she is going to reduce me by 1 mg . I feel realy good but dont sleep good at night. I may get about three hours of sleep.

[Maisiek]

I take 2 paracetamol at bedtime : helps the pain and helps me sleep too? Lots of posts on here about tapering. Good luck.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Sleep should improve as you reduce Pred.

Rheumy has told you to see how you feel at each reduction - but then do what? contact her? Increase dose? or just keep going to 10mg?

0,5mg reduction per week sounds okay in practice, but it can take that long, sometimes longer for your body to object (if it’s a flare) by which time you may have reduced up to three times.

If that happens you are not sure what dose you actually need.

You are not reducing relentlessly no matter what - you are trying to find the LOWEST dose that YOU need to control symptoms.

You may be lucky and it works perfectly, and I hope it does - but just be aware it may not!

[Chevypickup in reply to DorsetLady]

This is a plan that she wants me to try, I can call her anytime , I have changed my life style, eat three meals of heathy foods , no snacks, my blood pressure has gone down and I no longer need my cholesterol pills. Doing essentrics four time a week. check out essentrics aging backwards , I have been doing this for 4 weeks and I feel the differance. Works on all your joint pain and muscle loss.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Chevypickup]

Ok good - keep going well!

I think you may have confused me slightly big by referring to 1/2 pill - I read it as 0.5mg.

Easier if you actually state dose in future - I guess you mean half a 5mg tablet - so 2.5mg drop each week. That’s still may be a bit optimistic. Hope not.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Do you mean she will speed up the reduction after 10mg? We support SLOWING the taper at that point - to not more than 1mg per month. And you may need to do that sooner - some people do.

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

I think she is being tapered by 5 mg per drop, not .5. I assume by "pill" it's a 5 mg pill? So half a pill is 2.5 mg? Should be okay at first, but maybe too much after 15 mg?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

Yes, that's what she says, and every 2 weeks too so 5mg a month. Far too fast ...

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

But isn't she slowing down after 10 mg, to 1 mg, hopefully per month not every fortnight. That's slower than 2.5.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

Yes - that's correct as I read it.