Waltztherapy's post sounds very familiar to me

[howtotaperdown]

having reduced to 7.5... but with the issues I have I cannot distinguish between adrenal problems and pmr flare.. so have upped the dose to 10mg for a few days, but doesnt seem to make much difference so perhaps it is adrenal problems: aches, tiredness, and always sleeping problems anyway... so I was thinking planning on going back to 7.5 and living it out.. I was inspired by the posts about living through it and it getting better... perhaps it is time to explain to the family that it isn't quite as simple as taking the pred for a couple of years then feeling normal again... any other 'getting through it' tips?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Certainly sounds adrenal like - but “a few days” on higher dose may not be long enough if it is a flare.,

Perhaps 7 days would give a better indication -and usual advice is to add 5mg rather than 2.5mg. However it’s not a problem to drop back to 7.5mg if it doesn’t help…

Then slow taper and small steps -and yes -edit -inform not infirm!) family -and anyone else who thinks it’s a 2year job.

All advice on adrenals -healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

That spell check again - or is the family ill, not howtotaperdown?

[howtotaperdown in reply to PMRpro]

no family are fine thanks, but I had just told them a year ago what the rheumy had told me about just needing to take the pred for 2 years and it should be alright! I had mentioned movement problems but not really that I was too tired to go over, or baby sit, or take on too much, or that I often felt a bit defeated by this😇

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to howtotaperdown]

Did you not notice the "infirm family" in DL's reply

Time to come clean with them I think. There is a video online which was made for family and friends to understand what it does to us.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[howtotaperdown in reply to PMRpro]

oh.. didn't see that! and thanks I will come clean(er) and look at the video...guess it means I have to take it more on board myself too, as I was trying to believe the 2 -year thing!! I do appreciate the advice on this list.. thanks to all

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to howtotaperdown]

It was my job to notice typos!!! Can't get out of the habit!!!

I suppose we'd all like to believe the 2 year thing - but it is a fairy story and not a helpful one!

[piglette]

I think at 7.5mg per day the adrenal gland effects would not be too obvious, they tend to start at 7mg, although they could have started slightly higher for you. Adrenal problems I found were totally different to PMR flares. Have you tried painkillers to see if they help? If they don’t, it is highly likely to be a flare. Whatever you do don’t try and tough it out. PMR will win. Take a higher dose of pred for a few days and stamp the PMR in the head.