Where do we go from here

[desertstorm1991]

I have been on prednisone for 2 yrs, down to 2.5 mg although I think I feel better on 5 what is the risk to taking this dosage for long periods?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Not as much as some doctors would have you believe - as this link shows - practicalpainmanagement.com...

[Highlandtiger]

I’ve been stuck on 5mg for the best part of a year. My GP said it ‘wasn’t disastrous'....

[HeronNS]

At 5 mg your adrenal glands have to work again, and the negative side effects of pred are much reduced. I think this is a dose some doctors like to keep their patients at for several months because it seems to reduce the chances of relapsing when tapering starts again. When I got to 3 mg my doctor said she was happy with me there, and even these days when I have no PMR symptoms at 2 mg she has suggested I go back to 3 because my inflammation markers are raised. In retrospect perhaps I should have stayed at 3 for a long time? Been stuck at or around 2 for years.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

None whatsoever! Prof Dasgupta told us a few months ago that he often keeps patients at about that long term as it reduces the risk of relapses. Did you drop from 5 to 2.5mg? Maybe a tad more might be enough? 3 oto 5mg is also a very low dose and if you feel better on a bit more, take it and run!

[Daffodilia]

Dr Dasgupta expert from Southend said 2 mg for ever is ok on line recently