Offroader

[offroader]

I started pred on 15mg early in 2020 and have got down to 5.5mg by reducing at half mg per month. I have had a couple of flares along the way and increased as advised on here. I am now getting dull aches in my legs and when walking my legs seem like they just do not want to go. I am an active 71 year old male and would like to know whether this is the 'cold turkey' I have seen mentioned or a minor flare. Do I suffer the cold turkey or increase my dose yet again ?. I really want to get off the pred because of skin thinning. I would welcome advice please.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Sounds as if you may have reached the lowest you can get -for the moment anyway…

You may have followed the 0.5mg advice - that’s good -but as often said on here -you are not reducing relentlessly to zero…

You are trying to find the lowest dose that controls your symptoms -and you seem to have gone below that a couple of times -and maybe again now.

Have your current aches come on since a reduction? If so could be steroid withdrawal or flare -see this link -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

When you’ve worked out which it is, then either treat it as a flare as explained-or wait snd see if it resolves.

Also you are at a dose where your adrenals need to stay working more -so could be that, have a look at this -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

I would say steady up on the tapering for a while anyway and let things settle -winter is not a good time to be putting more stress on body.

Can I just say that giving your post your name as a subject is not very helpful and won’t bring up any meaningful related posts.

[offroader in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks so much for your help, I have printed off the links so I can study and refer to them easily.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What are the dull aches like? Are they all the time or do they start when walking and go away when you stop?

Do try not to use your user name as the title for your posts - use a title that mentions what you are asking about, "leg pain" for example - and then the list of Related Posts will suggest other posts about leg pain that may be helpful.

Cold turkey is only going to be a feature if you were to stop taking pred altogether suddenly without having tapered. It is defined as "the abrupt cessation of a substance on which the body is dependent". That isn't the same as addicted - the body requires and normally makes cortisol to function. a natural corticosteroid, but that is suppressed while on pred and doesn't return overnight when you stop pred.

[offroader in reply to PMRpro]

The dull ache is there all the time and Ibroprufen or paracetamol do not give much relief. Sorry for using wrong name, it is the first time I have asked anything and are not very good with computers.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to offroader]

Well if ibuprofen (which you shouldn't really take alongside Pred - both a bit harsh on stomach) nor paracetamol help... then that suggests it is PMR, and a higher dose is required....so maybe treat as flare as I suggested in my reply..

You aren't using wrong name, it's just come up as the post title - which isn't very helpful...and don't worry you get to find you way around the forum the more you use it.

[offroader in reply to DorsetLady]

I am grateful for your help, will increase dose as you instruct.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to offroader]

Suggesting, as a previous patient - not instructing, only your medical team can do that …

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to offroader]

It isn't that it is wrong - but when your title indicates what you are wanting to know, more people will read it plus relevant posts will be brought up on the page.

I agree with DL - if it is there all the time, it is possibly the PMR and your pred dose is a bit too low

[HeronNS]

It's also possible that the tiredness and achiness in your legs is part of sluggish adrenals. I found it felt like I was walking through water all the time when I was first at 4 mg, and others have mentioned similar experience, sometimes at 4, sometimes at a bit more or a bit less. If you have PMR pain all the time, not just that extreme fatigue feeling as you walk, then your dose is too low. In my case the PMR was well controlled and I was able to continue a slow taper and the fatigue improved - I do not, in fact, even remember when I no longer had the problem, it just faded away.

[offroader in reply to HeronNS]

Very useful info, many thanks.