Finally a visit to a Rheumy

[Dydee]

So Friday I had my first appt. with my new Rheumatologist. As suggested, I pretty much listened or answered questions. He seems to know his stuff. Was upset that my docs only did blood work before my forth round of Pred. BEFORE my PMR diagnosis. He is sending me for blood work and also will order a bone scan.

One thing I am uncertain about and that is what to expect when I finally do start tapering. How much discomfort should I expect and how long should I expect the increased discomfort to last before figuring I need to go back up a notch? I plan to come down REALLY SLOWLY.

Doc gave me a new prescription for Pred. with new dosage of 1 to 2 10 mg per day as opposed to my 10 mg once a day from my GP which I have been cheating and taking 15 mg by splitting one pill. LOL So is it OK to go up to 20 for a couple of days and then back down to 15? I did some really mild yard work sitting on my garden bench cleaning up my Iris bed this weekend and now feel like a truck ran over me.

This group has been a blessing during this difficult time.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

No such thing as mild yard work! You can go up to 20mg and back to 15mg but I doubt that will help the pain - that is probably DOMS. delayed onset muscle soreness, just from overusing muscles which, with PMR, will happen with far less exercise and be worse than you were used to. And will probably take longer to go away.

Worry about the taper when you get there - or at least once the rheumy tells you what he wants you to do. Smaller steps are better and spreading it out over a few weeks using one of the slowed tapers we talk about helps. But a basic rule is you shouldn't feel worse at the end of a step down than you did at the start. But it is difficult to say more than that until you know how you respond to pred and to a change in dose. Some people feel no effects, others feel rubbish just because of the change. Everyone is different.

[Dydee in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. It helps to have some understanding about this. And I figured since I was sitting the whole time, just reaching down and cutting off the Iris leaves and cleaning out dead ones, it wouldn't be a big deal. Obviously I was wrong. So you are saying that using muscles have a greater pain reaction with PMR. Silly me. Next time I'll spread it out over days. LOL

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Dydee]

Exactly!! Do 10 mins - and rest for at least 10 mins. I couldn't even use a secateurs for more than 5-10 mins because of the hand action!!

[Dydee in reply to PMRpro]

Gotcha. My hands recovered fairly quickly but my hips and legs not so much. But the Iris REALLY needed to get done. I'll just have to take a while to recover before I do anything else. Sure hate limping around.