Next drop to 6.5mg. Wondering about coated with 0.5 not coated.

[Ebiker]

After last post I stayed on 7mg. 5 weeks on slow drop another a further 7 weeks to date. I am thinking about starting next drop as the stiffness and aches from the muscle strain are not really noticeable, providing I don't use them....no gardening or repetitive use. Most days I have plenty of energy and go but occasionally have off days. In other words I am feeling better than I was a month ago.Question- I can make 6.5 all coated ...1x2.5 + 4x1 or I can have 1×5 + 1×1 +1x0.5 ( this one non coated. As someone with digestion problems will 5 tablets be harder on my stomach. Will I be better with 3??

Any comments? Appreciate obvious comment might be...are you mad, stick with enteric!!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you are good with enteric - why would your change? However - why not have a bit more of a rest from tapering until the New Year?

[Ebiker in reply to PMRpro]

Happy to stick with enteric. I just thought that less tablets per dose might be better. I did not make it clear, however that the second list included only 1 non coated, rest are enteric.I know that enteric and non coated have different absorption times, so another reason to not mess about. I think I tend to overthink nowadays.

Thank you for comment re give it a rest....you are right. A few more weeks at this time of year seems a good idea.

The only times I feel yuk currently are after eating, particularly after breakfast...some of the old symptoms back ie tight head, fierce very short lived hot flush and the need to just sit quietly for a while....it then passes. Familiar?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Ebiker]

How strange - no, not really familiar. After ALL meals? Does it depend on what you eat? Worse with carbs for example?

[Ebiker in reply to PMRpro]

Not really any pattern, except possibly more often after b/fast than other meals. It used to happen, along with other weird 'symptoms', when I had that year on increased pred after the covid booster reactivated my pmr. It then ceased to happen after some months, possibly because I was on lower pred or because a lot of my problems which started a couple of years ago were to do with the booster rather than the pmr and also lessened or disappeared. Certainly some of the weird symptoms were more neurological related in my view...couldn't stand noise or groups of people talking, couldn't watch tv anything fast or flashing....that has virtually gone, thank goodness.I simply concluded that I was a bit of an anomaly. 🙃

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Ebiker]

How VERY strange ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I am thinking about starting next drop as the stiffness and aches from the muscle strain are not really noticeable, providing I don't use them....no gardening or repetitive use.

That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement that all is well.. 😳.. especially the if I don’t use them ..

Agree with PMRpro - have a break from tapering, Christmas and winter wet hater is not a good time..

[Ebiker in reply to DorsetLady]

I was wavering about the next drop, as I am not feeling great some days and do feel uncomfortable around neck and forearm still.PMR pro and yourself have said enough for me to happily leave off tapering at present.

I have a telephone appt with a rheumatologist mid January re 2nd infusion of Zolendrate. It is overdue and it has been impossible to contact the rheumatology dept to get answers. Finally today, I received an appt, 3 mths overdue. None of this has helped the stress levels so another reason to hang fire.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Ebiker]

Good idea to pause for a while…

[Ebiker in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks both. Hope you have a happy festive season.🎄

[Lclmlbls]

I started on all uncoated and was prescribed omeprazole for reflux. However I requested to stop omeprazole due to the bad press. Doc agreed to issue EC 5mg and 2.5mg but not 1mg (these are supplied uncoated) which is fine and works ok for me allowing fine tapering. I take the EC tablets on waking and later the uncoated immediately after breakfast to make up the dose. This is to try and get the absorption rates in sync as far as possible. Hope that helps.

[Ebiker in reply to Lclmlbls]

Yes, this is helpful, thanks. It is always good to hear of other's experiences. I am struggling to taper, even on very slow tapering plans and I have been on omeprezole for 5 yrs as my stomache doesn't tolerate meds kindly. However, I only take 1mg omeprazole daily now and feel that I will be able to get off it soon, if I can get the pred down. It is not meant to be a long term medication but GP s in uk seem to hand it out with ease.