A good end to 2022

[Mamamia21]

I have been very grateful for all the help I have received over the years and wanted to give a quick update on my journey in 2022. I always struggled to get below 9mg of Pred and ended up as the typical yoyoer. After an ultrasound scan earlier this year showed significant inflammation in my hands and wrists (possibly rheumatoid arthritis) I was I was put on 4mg Baricitinib in October which they hoped would work alongside the 15mg Methotrexate. The pains in my hands and wrists have almost gone and I am now comfortably down to 7.5mg pred in Dec 2022. I still have neck pain but it certainly is not as bad as it was and just hope that this combination of drugs is going to work for a while. I plan to continue my DSNS progress of pred reduction in 2023 so will have to see what happens next. I am a little worried about adrenal function after all this time but will be aware of how I feel as I reduce further. Thanks again to everyone who gives their time to be here for others. I for one am very grateful. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and I hope I don't need you too much in 2023 (in the nicest possible way of course 😊)

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Good to hear you are finally beginning to feel a bit better and fingers crossed you can continue to reduce -albeit slowly. Doesn’t matter how slow it is, so long as it’s successful and slowly helps your adrenals.

Loads of info under the FAQs -linked below -and always here for questions whenever needed. Best wishes for 2023..

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

That is good to hear! Interesting they have used a janus kinase inhibitor - because there is some talk of them being useful in PMR.

I'd think after only 5+ years you should get off pred OK if the need to manage the symptoms is reduced. People have got off after over 10 years and many with both PMR and GCA need pred for 5 or 6 years and get off without too much difficulty.

We hope we don't see you - in the nicest possible way of course! But you know where we are and you will always have something from your experiences to offer. All the best for 2023.