updating latest try at decreasing pred

[Linny3]

Everything is going pretty good. This time last year I was at 18mg daily. Today I start 11 & 10&1/2 mg using slow method. I am so happy this appears to be working. Just in time as my sugar numbers are rising as is my cholesterol

Does anyone know if I will be able to see a correlation in less pred and a lowering of all my numbers? Does it take a long time to see less pred make a difference?

Good luck everyone😀🍀

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As you reduce Pred, then yes your blood sugars and your cholesterol figures should reduce but not sure anyone can give you an exact timeframe for that to happen.

[Linny3 in reply to DorsetLady]

thank you for the reply

[pmr_nikola]

From my experience you may start to see changes as you go below 6-7mg/day dose. At that point you will have "normal" quantity of cortisol in the system and it should help with blood test numbers.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pmr_nikola]

It is very unusual for cortisol to be normal on a pred dose above 5mg - that is plenty to suppress cortisol production.

[pmr_nikola in reply to PMRpro]

Pour choice of words...what I meant to say is that at 5-6mg dose there is about right amount of cortisol in the blood from pred( close to physiological level ) so it should not impact or elevate cholesterol readings.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pmr_nikola]

But in practice - it often does,

[pmr_nikola in reply to PMRpro]

So what happens in practice? For me lowering does of pred caused reduction in cholesterol. In addition, most impact ( for me) was that pred increased HDL more then LDL making ratio even better then before PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pmr_nikola]

Everyone is different - and being on any pred can be enough to raise cholesterol for some. You were lucky that it didn't apply to you - but it isn't always the case.

[Bcol]

I can't answer the Pred reduction part of the question, but if your blood sugars and cholesterol are rising is there something in your present diet that you have changed or indeed, need to change to try and keep those numbers under control.

[Linny3]

yes I am taking measures to help alleviate this, though I really think it is the high amount of pred catching up with me after 7 years