Remission

[Lilymaerose]

Can any one tell me if having surgery non related to GCA and PMR could cause them to go into remission

I am reducing my steroids rapidly, now down to 2mg from 4.5 6 weeks ago.

I have never been able to get down like this before my ops in December, jus taking the steroids an hour late would affect me really badly

[HeronNS]

If there had been low grade infection or chronic inflammation connected to the need for the surgery, yes, there could be a reason why you are now finding it much easier to taper.

Just be a little careful at this low dose. You need to let your adrenal glands keep up as it takes a while for them to get up to speed.

[Lilymaerose in reply to HeronNS]

Last year in July I was being checked for womb cancer and my bowel got ruptured leaving me with a stoma bag. By December the precancerous cells had turned to cancer and I had a full hysterectomy and had the stoma reversed. During the op I developed blood clots in my lungs and an enlarged aorta, also very high blood pressure,

I am just starting to feel like I am recovered so it has been a long journey

Then I started to reduce preds with out any problem, unlike when I have reduced before over the last 6 years

How long do you think I should take to reduce the last 2 mgs

[MrsNails in reply to Lilymaerose]

I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through, it must have been awful for you.

As Pro says the shock may have triggered your immune system back to normal.

Have you had any Chemo as part of your treatment? When l was told l had Breast Cancer (l was on 7.5mg Pred at the time) l certainly felt as if there had been some sort of ‘rush’ to my system.....

Good Luck with the rest of your taper & Very Best Wishes for your continued Recovery.

MrsN 🌺

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It may have shocked the immune system back to normal - but no wa y knowing for syre.

But as Heron says - please be careful reducing so fast at this stage - the slow reduction now is also to give your adrenal glands to catch up and that doesn;t happen overnight.

[HeronNS]

Oh my, you have been through the mill. Glad things are much better for you now. Two mg is nothing in the big scheme of things. I've been at or near that dose with a brief flirtation with zero for the past four years and am not aware of any particular side effects which I can attribute to pred as opposed to normal aging.

Best wishes for continued recover. 🌼

[Lilymaerose]

Thankyou that is most promising I really want to get off the preds and other meds

[SnazzyD]

As has been said, the reason the surgery was needed may have removed a source of physical stress. I’ll echo- Do be careful of reducing too fast because at this level you have to consider adrenal function, which may well not be up to being made to work well so suddenly. You may not realise you are not yet up to speed until your body is stressed in some way, which may seem like nothing. Always keep some Pred with you in your bag just in case you suddenly feel awful, like I have twice, having felt ok before.

[Lilymaerose in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you any idea how long I should take to reduce the 2 mgs

[SnazzyD in reply to Lilymaerose]

If it was me, I’d stay there for 4-6 weeks. This dose is diddly squat, no need to rush is there?

[Lilymaerose in reply to SnazzyD]

No rush at all, thankyou

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lilymaerose]

But that isn't 4-6 weeks at 2mg and then stop - you need to reduce that last 2mg slowly too because 2mg can be plenty to manage PMR but also enough to replace the lack of cortisol under normal circumstances. It can take up to a year for adrenal function to return reliably even after stopping pred altogether. And adrenal crisis is a nasty experience.

[SheffieldJane]

I hope that this is the wonderful thing it seems to be! Go careful. 🌸

[Lilymaerose in reply to SheffieldJane]

Oh god I do hope so

[-LJ-]

What a journey you’ve been through! Welcome back! When I got to 2, I stayed there for a month. Then reduced by .5 ...staying about a month at each one until I was actually able to get off.

[Lonsdalelass in reply to -LJ-]

Well done LJ, it's so good to hear now and again of others who have managed to get off the pred and feel like they are returning to normal. It gives hope to the rest of us! 🤣

[-LJ- in reply to Lonsdalelass]

Thanks! Off for 2 years now. Knock on wood!!

[Joan-E-D]

I went into remission last year after a heavy cold and cough that lasted a few weeks and I was then able to reduce steadily but slowly to zero. I had had PMR for 3 years, but have been O.K. now for 10 months. It may have been a coincidence but I'm not sure it was.

[Lonsdalelass in reply to Joan-E-D]

So good to hear Joan-E-D that you have managed to live your life now without pred. So pleased for you. 😃 Wishing you continued success.