How long should the steroids reduction pain last

[Harrywogan]

Hi just wondering 🤔 how long I should expect steroid reduction pain before it settles down,x

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

This post explains the difference between steroid withdrawal symptoms and a flare -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Dochaz in reply to DorsetLady]

This was really helpful. I have noticed that my body takes about a week to adjust to a taper and then settles in. No PMR recurrence, but vague GCA headaches which respond well to paracetamol. So I know it's not a flare. At first I wasn't sure. Lots of useful information here... I'm so grateful!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Dochaz]

Ok -good to know it’s only SW -and if you know that you don’t worry. A slower taper may help especially as you get lower - that’s one if the reasons they were designed -just one option -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Depends - but the real test is is it slowly improving or not? If it is getting worse - you may be heading for a flare.

[Harrywogan in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks ambassador, that's the tricky one xx

[Polymialgia]

That’s a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, we all have variations of PMR unique to us, in line with many others I tapered successfully down below 5mg in the first year but 5 years later I still experience pain at below 2mg so that where I’ll stay hopefully not for another 5 years but again it just maybe.

[Lyndaki]

My query when reducing would be “how do I know it’s not the slight arthritis that I had before PMR?!” So far after 3 & a half years I’ve reduced from 60mg to 2 so next step, 1.5….fingers crossed!