Advice

[RonnieandReggie]

I am 74 and have had PMR for 2 years now and I’ve been trying to reduce my pred from a failsafe dose of 15mg. I get to 7 or 8 and have to revert back to 15mg because of stiffness at the top of my legs which gets worse if I climb steps or go on short walks.

Also, twice weekly I cycle around 20 miles each time but increasingly as I’m reducing (10.5 at the moment) I’m having to abort the ride due to pain and stiffness in my legs.

Added to this my left leg swells just above the ankle which may well be another issue.

Finally can PMR affect breathing as I experience shortness of breath following a short period of exercise.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

You probably don’t need to go back to 15mg and start again -you need to treat as a flare and once that is under control you can return to probably 8mg and restart tapering -but slower than you have been.

Thus contains advice on dealing with a flare -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

As you are at 10.5mg at the moment would suggest reductions of 0.5mg per 4-6 weeks maybe using a slower taper as described in the FAQs -link here-

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

As for cycle rides -can you reduce distance covered at any one time -so you maybe do less miles per day but more times a week -or is that not an option? But you do need to allow muscles to recover.

Some do complain of breathlessness -you may find more info if you try the search facility -or amend your post title to include the word. It will then pick up related posts…

But you probably would be wise to check out your breathing issue with your GP just to make sure it’s nothing more serious.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I agree with DL - you almost certainly don't need to go back to 15, just take 13mg for a few days until the symptoms have improved and then drop to 8mg if that is where you are OK< When your body rebels at a similar dose more than once it is a sign you have reached your intermediate destination: the lowest effective dose. You aren't heading relentlessly to zero come what may. The pred is a management strategy, not a cure, and you are looking for the minimum amount that keeps you at a comfortable state. Even a few months will make a difference and you will probably be able to get a bit lower. But PMR lasts years - not months - and as long as the underlying autoimmune cause is active, you will need enough pred.