Goal before reduce pred--low pain or no pain???

[emmamom]

I am tapering but not sure what the goal is before I go down to the next level. NO pain, or just manageable pain? Thank you!

[piglette]

I always go for how you felt when you first took the steroids. Some people will always have some pain.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Ditto to piglette reply….

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Whatever level of pain/symptom relief you got with the starting dose is your reference, You should never feel worse at the end of the taper step than at the start

[dmart7]

Personally, I think the aim should be no pain. I would regard pain as reason to increase Pred a little or temporarily. Bear in mind that there is usually a delay in the effect of a change in Pred dose before you can conclude that you are at the right dose.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to dmart7]

But there are other causes of pain that is similar to PMR and some people are never entirely pain-free so would never reduce at all, That's why we suggest the relief at the highest dose you were on as the yardstick.

[Mayadill]

I'm with dmart here. Putting together all the replies, I do just vaguely wonder if the people who still have pain had a high enough starting dose.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mayadill]

There are people started on above 30mg who were never pain-free - above that you are into the realm "was this "just" PMR" ...

[Mayadill in reply to PMRpro]

Ah. thank you.