Increased dosage

[lonelysunrise]

Having been on a "maintenance" dosage of 2mgs Pred daily for nearly a year now, I hadn't been feeling so good for the past few weeks so on Saturday, I took 5mgs and the difference in a very short time was amazing. I didn't want to go above 5 mgs. Even aches that I wasn't sure related to PMR disappeared! Was planning to stay on this increased dosage for a week or so. Should I then decrease to 2 mgs again gradually or immediately? Have had PMR for nearly 6 years now but it's good to know that relief can be obtained by s smallish increase in dosage for a while! Wishing everyone a happy and pain free Easter!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

You can go back down in one step provided you aren’t on the increased for longer than 14days..

But to 2.5mg or 3mg -as 2mg is obviously not quite enough … so no point trying that again immediately.

[lonelysunrise in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks, Dorset Lady. Good advice!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As DL says - it appears that the 2mg is only very slightly too low - so you probably need a tiny bit more to stop a build up of inflammation.

[lonelysunrise in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro. Am going to follow the advice. It's great to feel better but I won't push my luck!

[HalleysComet]

i had been off Pred for three months when the knee and hand pain started and got worse and worse. I was X rayed and told it was OA, though not particularly severe.

I decided to take 5mg Pred and my pain immediately went away. I suspected that the PMR hadn’t gone away and inflammation had built up. When I told my GP that I had gone back to taking Pred she was very cross and said Pred was not to be used for arthritis. My inflammation markers have always been inconclusive, right from the start, and that is what she was using to tell me that it wasn’t PMR. How she could tell that from a phone conversation was surprising.

I have tapered gradually from 5mg, and am currently on 1.5mg per day. When I get to 1mg I shall stay there for the rest of the summer and see how I get on. Luckily I have a very large stash of Pred to work through.

I think GPs are too scared of steroids. They do try to frighten you off them.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HalleysComet]

Couldn't agree more. And sorry - but given the options for managing OA (or not) I'm blowed if I can see what is so bad about a very low dose of pred to keep you pain-free and functioning. There is far more horror here from the Pain Clinic doctor at the idea of even a very low dose of ibuprofen than I met even at 10mg and more of pred. At least it is assumed I won't manage to get below 5mg pred because of adrenal considerations after all this time so that shouldn't be a battle I have to fight.

But I agreee - I think your hands were PMR too.

[lonelysunrise in reply to HalleysComet]

I agree, HalleysComet. At the age of 81, I am not at all concerned by the prospect of being on a low dosage of Pred for the rest of my life. It keeps me moving and able to do the things I enjoy. Doubt my GP would approve though! As long as they keep my prescription going!