dosage

[Gotryit]

I’m reading posts of most people having miraculous speedy recovery on prednisone I have been prescribed 15mg 3 days ago without any improvement at all - should I be worried or am I overthinking the worst any advice would be appreciated

[SnazzyD]

Hello, you are only on day 3 so you may not yet get the big result you’re hoping for. The replies to your last very recent post still very much apply here so do have a re-read. The main points are firstly, that your dose may be too low in the standard starting range of 15-25mg. Secondly, some people need more like a few weeks to get the effect. As with all things medical, people vary and it is best not to torture yourself with stories of those who react differently to you. Make sure you are resting too and not trying to keep going. Even if you do get that miracle result, it hasn’t gone, it’s just the symptoms are dealt with and recovery occurs over much longer.

[Gotryit in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank so much for your advice and support

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

This was my reply to your previous post -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

..and yes you may be overthinking it...give it a few more days, and if no better then contact doctor..

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Patience - I did say in my reply to your first post that some people take longer.

"It depends - you will respond to an ADEQUATE dose, it has to be enough. And how long will also vary.. Some people need more than 15mg, many take up to a week or more to get a good result especially with a lower dose. A study found that 75% of patients will respond to a starting dose in a month. Doctors often expect a result immediately but don't give the patient enough to get the quick result. I was given 15mg and had a minor miracle in under 6 hours. Others have needed up to 25mg and still took days to respond. And if you do respond well and soon - don't rush back to do all the things you haven't been able to do or you will wake up feeling as if you have relapsed! Lifestyle changes may be needed too for a really good management of symptoms - remember, this isn't a cure. It is a management strategy."

You will always hear about the people who responded in hours - far less often from the ones who didn't and had a more usual response over a week or so or needed a higher dose than 15mg which is the low end of the starting dose range.

[piglette]

Some people take longer than others to be brought back into the land of the living. You may find that you need say 20mg rather than 15mg. Have you taken any pain killers? If so did they work? It could be that you don’t have PMR.

[Gotryit in reply to piglette]

Thanks for your advice it is appreciated

[AtopicGuy]

You haven't filled in your Profile, yet, so we know nothing about your symptoms or how you came to be diagnosed and/or prescribed steroids. PMR is a difficult disorder to diagnose, and sometimes, prednisolone is prescribed in order to see whether it works or not. If the improvement is strong and rapid (you need to give it at about 2 weeks) then that's a good clue your problem may lie in autoimmunity. If that feels like a long time to wait, be aware that many non-steroidal immunosuppressants take months to start making a difference.

If your symptoms do not respond well to steroids, then autoimmunity looks unlikely. Ruling out a whole class of disease can be a big step forward in the diagnostic process.

[Gotryit in reply to AtopicGuy]

Thank you for your advice

[Thelmarina]

It took me over a week and I had to take 25mgs before a got relief. I think it may depend on inflammation build up before diagnosis and being put on steroids to confirm it. You’re starting the process of patience and adapting. Good luck and I hope you get relief soon. 😀