on holiday and a hard lesson learned with this disease.

[MalloryMoss]

since reducing effectively to 4mg (from 15mg in Oct 23) and getting on with life albeit at a much steadier pace, my Dr has recommended 1mg reduction every 8 weeks.

I am currently on holiday in Canada, we are in week one of 3. I decided to stay at 4mg and not even consider reducing to at least a week after my return. However I’ve been walking multiple times a day (sightseeing) and even managed a 3hr leisurely flat guided cycle tour (I felt great!), all was going well but then the stiffness in my hips and knees came back with a vengeance yesterday, so bad it was debilitating and as bad as pre diagnosis! Just trying to sit down then back to standing and walking became excruciating!

So I jumped on this fabulous forum and read up on the flare info and realised I’ve just done too much, so today I upped my pred from 4 to 6mg and added 2 x 500mg paracetamol and BINGO I’m back! Phew what a relief, I’m now able to enjoy my holiday but learned the hard way to keep an eye on activity vs rest.

I intend to drop back down to 4mg week 3 of our holiday as we’re cruising back to the UK, so plenty of time to recover, yoga, Pilates, massage, spa etc .

I then plan to follow the dead slow taper once I’ve recovered from the holiday 🤞

Any thoughts welcome

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It's all very well him assuming that you can just reduce to zero to a timetable but at 4mg there are two limiting factors: the PMR itself, which may still be active, and adrenal function which must return as the oral pred dose is reduced. Our mantra is the lower the slower - for very good reasons.

[MalloryMoss in reply to PMRpro]

Yes totally agree. Dr has let me decide how to taper from 5mg. This forum is brilliant for following a plan and understanding this disease. Knowing I just had a flare and what to do was perfect.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I intend to drop back down to 4mg week 3 of our holiday as we’re cruising back to the UK, so plenty of time to recover, yoga, Pilates, massage, spa etc .

Not sure about that, you are still on holiday and out of your normal routine, down to 5mg might be achievable.. but there' a fair amount of hustle and bustle on cruises . I think I'd stay at 6mg until I was home and back to normal.. [so a couple of weeks after return date]..

[MalloryMoss in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you, how I’m feeling right now I agree with you to stay on the current dose till I’m back home. Can’t tell you how relieved I am 😊

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to MalloryMoss]

Good, now enjoy rest of holiday....