PMR etc - and a virus"!!

[MDT1]

. . .and then throw in a virus - argh!! I stupidly thought 'oh its just a cold, I'll be fine' - was devastating - has given me a week of hell, just now coming out the other side. I had tapered to 1.5/2 DSNS, so thought it'd be ok - how wrong was I!? eventually upped them by 5 for a few days. A real nudge to make sure I up them when 'anything' out of the ordinary happens! Is it right I can just go back to 1.5/2 when ready? - if within 10 days?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Correct!

"Just a virus" - Covid is "just a virus" and it can still make people very sick and even kill them! And at such a low dose - your adrenals are probably not at all enthusiastic about working harder ...

[MDT1 in reply to PMRpro]

I do know that - that was what I was saying there!! Thanks for the answer about the preds though

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MDT1]

Was it Covid you had? I hear so many saying "I've got a cold" - that turns out not be a cold ...

[MDT1 in reply to PMRpro]

all lateral flows negative

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MDT1]

The lateral flows are quite dodgy! My daughter tested 4 times before getting a positive and then it was with the test from a new pack, the test from the old pack done at the same time was negative!

[MDT1 in reply to PMRpro]

ok

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Usual advice for flare contained in link - and maybe back to 2mg rather than 2/1.5mg -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

But as PMRpro says is it "just" a cold...

[MDT1 in reply to DorsetLady]

thanks x

[whitefishbay]

Sounds like CV19.

[Blearyeyed]

As your system is tired from the illness , I personally think it's better to taper down from either Day 7 if you a reducing back to the 2 mg by Day 10 , or from Day 10 if you want to get back to the previous dose by day 14.Otherwise the jump straight down can cause some side effect issues.

So for example , on day 7 you would take 8 / 7.5 mg , day 8 , 5 mg , day 9 , 3.5 mg so you are on the higher previous dose of 2 mg on day 10.

I wouldn't try and taper ( even back to your alternating 2/1.5 dose) for a month after a virus . It's highly unlikely to be successful or stress free if you resume the taper too quickly , you body needs a month after an acute problem to recover in strength so it can cope with the tapering process and changes to your body chemistry again.

There are plenty of awful viruses around this year , and just because it isn't COVID doesn't mean it won't be severe , remember Flu comes from the same origins , I myself got Strep and it was horrendous.

[MDT1]

thank you - taht makes sense but does make me a tad confused as its often said on here that it is fine to drop straight back down after a brief flare??