Hello all. I recently had a little flare when I dropped from 5 to 4.5 mgs of pred. My rheumy told me to bump back up to 10, then reduce to 7.5 after 3 days, then 5 after another 3 days. I started the last bit today, and feel absolutely awful. It's not the pain so much as the fatigue, as well as feeling rather woozy and it of it.
Was that too aggressive? Could it be something else? Thanks!
It sounds like your adrenal glands are complaining about being woken up. I was totally exhausted with them. They need to start working again at around 7mg.
Have I got this correct, as your profile has zilch in it. Please fill it in, with details ie date diagnosed, start dose of pred, what additional meds or illnesses.
Diagnosed with GCA November 2020?
That is a very fast reduction from the normal starting dose of between 40mg-60mg for GCA and to be down to 10mg 9 months later is very quick.
It is the same as we'd probably have suggested - it wasn't long enough to have lost any achievement from before raising the dose.
As jinasc suggests - I wonder if the low dose has allowed the GCA to wake up. It was a very fast reduction - which is fine, but GCA often flares up in the first 18 months, never mind 8 months.
It could be your adrenal glands or might be a FLARE UP. TRY to muddle through it. REST and eat lots of veggies. You want to stay on the lowest possible dose of steroids as possible. I've been there. Right now I'm taking 3-4mgs (rotating every other day). I've been taking steroids for over 15 years as I can not stop, my adrenal shut down and won't start up. Try the best you can and if you really start flaring again badly you just might need that dose to be 6 or 7mgs. Hang in there!
Information about flares
Flares trying to get from 9 mg to 8 mg
Update flares won't stop
Esomeprazole after 14 days?!
increasing pred for flares...what next?
