Operation

[TMenz]

Hi you have given me lots of fab advice in the past so I was just wondering if you could help me now please. I followed your advice and was dropping 0.5 of pred per month. I was doing really well and stuck to it and got to 8mg with just a very dull ache in my shoulder. But no other symptoms whatsoever. Then I had a little operation unrelated on my hip in December.

After op and hip etc is all really good. All repaired well. I was due to reduce again to 7.5 two weeks after op and I still done it and thinking this was my mistake 🙈since then I feel sooo tired, low in iron again at 115 and my Inflammation level gone back up to 29 from a blood test last week. I have pains in neck shoulder legs etc so I increased to 8mg then 8.5 and now 9 after getting blood test results leaving 5 days in between to see if the higher dose was enough. I’m not really bad but energy less and achy legs and shoulder and neck still. Should I hang it out or do I need to increase further for a short period then drop again? I have been on 9mg for 5 days now.

I remember reading if the dose doesn’t bring inflammation down then it is wasted or something alone those lines. For me I can always tell if my inflammation goes high as my legs and shoulder are first to go then neck. Should I stick it out or opt for short sharp reduction with a higher dose?

Thank you for taking time to read this.

[SheffieldJane]

Poor you! An operation will do it. Do you mean take an extra 5 mgs for a week to ten days then return straight to 9 mgs? I might try that. Sometimes it works like a charm and you were doing so well!

[TMenz in reply to SheffieldJane]

Yes that’s what I meant as sure I read it on here previously. PMR PRO has just advised below Thank god x better advice then my rheumy 🙈

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What were the inflammation levels post op? The op will have sent them up and they can take time to go down again. The Hb beng 115 is fairly low and could cause fatigue - is there a good reason for it having fallen?I don;t think edging the dose up slowly like that works well at all - add 5mg to where you flared for 7-10 days and see how that goes. If that works then go back to where you were good before the op. It takes a while to recover from surgery.

[TMenz in reply to PMRpro]

I’m not sure pre operation because of Covid had no blood tests does months but lowest blood test was 20. I did have bloods done three days before op but still trying to get results which is really annoying as I thought that would answer my question as to whether I was already on the up or it was in fact just the op. My iron for some reason is always low has been for years and no apparent reason. Was on iron tablets, run out in December and thought see how I go - again not a good move 🤦🏼‍♀️so I was very good at 8mg pred do I add 5 mg on that now for 7-10 days and then drop from 13 to 8mg in one go ? Thank you for your help.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to TMenz]

That is what I'd try since the symptoms do sound flare-ish.

[TMenz in reply to PMRpro]

Ok brill thank you 😊