Flare Protocol

[Orangecakes]

Good morning, I have been at 2mg pred for quite sometime. Recently returned to UK from a trip to USA, after 2 weeks still have not gotten over jet lag, not back to normal sleep pattern. This situation of lack of proper sleep is playing havoc with my body. My PMR is now having a flare up.

I s the protocol for a flare add 5 mg to current dosage, in my case eg. 7mg. is the increase for 7-9 days then drop back to just above where I flared.

Thanking in advance for your help.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Pretty much - more details here -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Orangecakes in reply to DorsetLady]

Dear DorsetLady,

Thank you so much for the information. It is a flare for sure, to my disappointment. My whole body is screaming and I can barely move, climbing stairs is near impossible. I sensed I was heading for trouble but thought I could beat it, this illness is brutal.

After 7-14 days what dosage would you suggest I drop to, I was at 2mg. Do you think 2.5 is pushing it?

Thanks again. Take care.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Orangecakes]

You never win against PMR - it isn't worth it trying to "get through it", Far better to give in to prevent things getting worse. Then it is a smaller hiccup than when you let things turn into a fire instead of a flareup.

[Orangecakes in reply to PMRpro]

Believe lesson learnt. Thank you for your wise words.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Orangecakes]

I’d think 3mg might be better as you seem to be having a bad flare [yes I know all flares are bad, but some are worse than others!].. and as PMRpro has said don’t try and ‘beat PMR’ you rarely come out on top. Just saying had you dealt with flare earlier, it might not have got so bad.

Plus no further tapering for a month or so once back on track..

[Orangecakes in reply to DorsetLady]

Okay, 3mg is the place to start at again and no further tapering for a month or so and I am back on track. Thank you for your good advice. Yes, now agree one cannot try to beat PMR. I wonder if I will ever by out the woods of PMR!

I certainly appreciate your's and PMRpro, help and advice, it is and has been such a help. Thanking you both very much.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Orangecakes]

Yep… use 3mg as your new starting point.. and no rush as such low doses. Like the vast majority you will get out of the woods…. you just need to find the right path … 😊

[Orangecakes in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you for your words of hope and inspiration! 👍🙂

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Tell me about the sleep - and all I can do is offer empathy I'm afraid. I'm in a pattern of one decent night, one awful night! Night before last I was awake until well after 4am, woke at normal time, pills are due so alarm is set and I wake just before it goes, Last night, bed at 10-ish, slept solidly until just after 6, slept again until half past 8 and would love to go back to bed! Either way - I feel as if I've been run over by a truck! And I can't even blame jet lag after a holiday 😕

Hope yours settles soon.

[Orangecakes in reply to PMRpro]

Dear PMRpro, It is awful when one doesn't get a good night's sleep. I give you my sincere empathy. It is stressful waking then not being able to get back to sleep either for hours or not at all. Toss and turn!

Thank you for your well wishes that my sleep pattern settles; I wish that same for you.

Thank you for your response.

Take care.