So first week down and I'm feeling much better. Sharp pain in my shoulders gone as has that horrible deep ache down my arms and into my wrists. I go to bed pain free and sleep through the night. Whoo Hoo! 😄Wake up stiff and sore, but not as bad as before, but pred takes an age to kick in - well into the afternoon before it goes. Does this sound about right? I have a proper consultation tomorrow to discuss how it's going - anything specific I need to ask?
Your help always appreciated - rheumy told my husband I was very knowledgeable about the condition so he is clearly prepared to listen!
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artisam
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What dose? 15mg? You might do better with 20mg to clear things out - or you may be one of the people who needs to split the dose to take the antiinflammatory effect the full 24 hours. I hope your rheumy does listen - some get a bit iffy about splitting even though it is mentioned in the medical listerature.
I am on 15mg - how would I split that?Would it mean the first day would be painful as effectively lowering the dose that first time? Will certainly discuss it with him. Thank you
Recommended - 2/3rds am - 1/3rd evening. So on your dose 10mg/5mg.
If you started in evening - you would get an extra boost that day of 5mg - and hopefully take you through to the following morning. Then back to 15mg per day.
Hi, when I first started a couple of weeks ago I took it all in the morning as per doc's orders. It took about 6 hours to kick in and then I was ok. Then woke at 2 with pain all night and pain on getting up. People's advice on here to split it worked very well. So take 5mg late at night and 10 mg in morning. Wake up with no pain! Docs don't seem to like it though - I think its because of risk of stomach ulcers with the pred sitting there during sleep. But I'm not sure!
Rheumy was fine with it so I am going to give it a go and see what happens. I have wondered about my stomach - I take lansoprazole in the morning - will that still be working?
An interesting post, which caused me to look back at notes I kept for my first three weeks on pred.
For me my GP did increase the pred after three days because it didn't initially clear the pain, which was always worst in the morning, better in the afternoon, and then crept back in again, though not so bad, at bedtime.
The same pattern lasted for about a couple of weeks, then the pains receded significantly.
The implication got from pmrpro's reply at the time, was that the pred in my system didn't last much longer than approximately 12 hours.
However, we are all different, and what works for one may not work for another. I did split doses for a while, but , at the end of the day, my view is that you have to work out what suits you best, and keep your GP in the picture.
Thanks. To be fair how I am feeling is so much better than before I'm not sure I want to rock the boat yet. Just seems odd how long it takes to kick in. I think pmrpro may be right that the initial inflammation needs to clear first. I'll see what the doc says tomorrow.🤞
It is only once the underlying inflammation is properly cleared out that you can assess - until that happens the baseline is high, the extra new dollop of inflammation takes you back to the painful level. I think you need more to start with, whatever, Then reassess.
Hi artisam, so pleased to hear you're feeling much better. I'm now 5 weeks on Pred and down to 12.5mg. I think I must be one of the lucky ones as 15mg worked well for me from about 4 days in. I didn't have any pain or stiffness from day 5 until I reduced to 12.5mg just over one week ago. I then had some discomfort for a day or two but all good at the moment. I hope your consultation goes well and with the great advice from this forum you're able to find a way of maintaining pain free 24/7
Sounds like you are doing well. I actually feel great - so lovely to have evenings back. It may be that the stiffness takes a while as I am full on at work (I'm a primary school teacher). Not really easing my way in.!
Just for your info..I was diagnosed last December. I started on 15mg & within 2 days about 80% better! I was willing to live with that but also got terribly tired about 4pm etc. So I increased to 16mg. I couldn’t believe what a difference 1mg made! It was great! I take mine between 2 and 3 am...the experts here will tell you exactly why that’s good, if you can do it. Six months later I’m down to 9mg, but struggling a bit, not with pain, but lack of energy, bad temper, bit like PMT, & very tired patch about 6pm. I’m getting somewhere, though! Good luck with your rheumy. S x
Thank you for that. I too have a tired patch round about 4, but I always have. I find cup of tea followed by 30 mins power nap and BOOM, I'm back in the room! Off to walk the dog and I feel better. Hoping this will keep working, but I might being naive I know. Here's hoping🤞
As a matter of interest, do you take your pred with food. I have been given lansoprazole which means a half hour wait before I could take the pred - I'd be up half the night!
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