Ready to taper?

[Hwle]

I have been learning more and more each day about my PMR and need to find some answers that I feel like are out there but can’t find them just yet. I finally got on a dose to eliminate pain 30mg. Stayed on that dose for 14 days when I got my bloodwork back where my crp dropped from 201 to 2. I reduced my dose to 25mg. As my doctor orders if I felt no pain, get bloodwork and then drop the dose. 10 in the am and 15 at lunch. I am feeling really good! No pain. My doctor wants me to get to 20 as soon as I’m able. But I know tapering can be tricky. I have seen this in a few posts but can’t find the post..

“DL 5 week tapering Plan”. Can’t seem to find this plan but maybe it would help me…

I’m guessing this is from Dorset Lady as she has been so helpful for so many of us. I am wondering if I am ready for another .5 taper but just don’t know when it is too soon. I have a dr apt on 7/30 and my dr wanted me to be at 20 for sure by then which I feel is totally doable and possibly even lower given how much better I feel than I did before.

Any suggestions on the tapering? I only have 10mg pills so I would assume I could potentially quarter the pills to get a smaller step down in dosing.

Thanks!

[Hwle]

I should add- this is day 6 on 25 mg.

[piglette]

In UK, if it is thought you have PMR, doctors tend to prescribe around 15mg. In the US they seem to start much higher often around 25-30mg with a faster initial taper. I am not sure which is better. Perhaps it just depends on the individual. I think the main thing is if you start having that horrible pain, stop reducing.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

It is under tapering plans in FAQs, also in my information post which I linked previously but have linked here -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

My opinion you need to on 25mg for 2 weeks as before -but 3 would be better before you drop down…

As piglette has said you started higher than most- and sometimes that means you can reduce more quickly but not always.

You should be able to get all these doses in USA - so request what you need -

1 mg, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg.

[Charlie1boy]

Totally agree with DorsetLady! I was started at 30mg, and stayed at that level for three weeks to ensure (hopefully) by then that the initial inflammation was cleared out.

Then, as all seemed ok, I went to 25mg for two weeks, then to 20mg for two weeks. It really doesn’t pay to rush things even if you do feel fine.

After 20mg, it was in 2.5 mg steps to 15mg, and after that at 10% of the dose I was on. If you taper too fast, pmr will likely come back to bite. You will need lots and lots of patience, and th3n more patience still.

Good luck.

[Ozziedays]

Hello, I was in Australia when I developed PMR so my experience is from there (I’m now back in UK). My GP started me on 25mg which I remained on for about 4 weeks, with weekly checks / bloods, then reduced by 2.5mg every 2 weeks. I saw a rheumatologist who took over my care when I was at 22.5mg and she increased the period between reductions from two weeks to three.

When got to 10mg the reduction became 1mg every 3 weeks. Prednisolone tablets came in 1mg, 5mg, and 25mg strengths. I had to cut 1mg in half to get 0.5 when needed, otherwise my GP simply put both 1mg and 5mg on my prescription and left it to me to mix & match / cut to suit.