More advice please because I am not getting it from my GP!!!!!
Went up to 4mg Pred 4 weeks ago because ESR and CRP were high - don't have the numbers but they were high enough that my GP phoned to tell me. Just got results today, ESR now 29 and CRP 18 and feel well. Should I stay on 4 mg for another few weeks or begin VERY slowly tapering down again? My usual GP is on holiday and she is the "understanding" one!
Many thanks, your help in invaluable.
What were you at before? If it were me I'd stay at 4mg for another week and then start a slow taper. You aren't at a desperately high dose anyway, however you look at it.
Agree with PMRpro- ESR looks okay, CRP perhaps still a bit high…but it’s all relative to last ones really.
I assume it is the CRP that seems high to them at 18. I usually feel fine and have much higher inflammation markers than that. My GP does worry a bit if they go over 100!!
The locum Rheumy i had all the trouble with in July thought my CRP was high at 6!!!!!
It's interesting, just looked at my last results and it was 1.4 but noticed they have changed my "normal" from under 10 to under 5!! ESR was 2 with normal rate 2-10!
It is normally 5 or under for CRP, but I don’t think your rheumie should be going into a panic at 6. Mine is often 50 and I am the one in a panic, my GP just shrugs.
Very reassuring which is what I needed…… thank you.
Remember that in different countries the results are reported differently. For example mmol/L, mg/dL etc. It can get very confusing. The net result is the same but the numbers will differ.
Blood test results 
Blood test results 
Blood test results compared to how I feel
PMR pain vs ESR/CRP test results
