Flair , advice please to get back on track

[Mazxstitch]

I started a taper on the 6th November, 2.25 mg to 2 mg and stayed on it till the 31st December with no problems.I then started a taper 2 mg to 1.175 mg. On the 5th week I went to Tenerife and flared.

I have added 5 mg, now 6.75 mg for 3 days, but hasn't helped.

I am home now, but have a trip in 11 days, back for 3 weeks and and going away again.

I am wondering if I should increase to 7.5 mg and drop to 2.5 mg in 2 steps?

[SnazzyD]

That might be too steep given that you have more trips in the pipeline. Just stepping back a bit, what did you do on holiday? Travel can be a sneaky devil when it comes to seemingly insignificant traumas like sitting for a long time, walking a lot, standing a lot (worse than walking?), hefting bags, doing more stairs, sleep all over the shop, questionable diet, dancing the seaside shuffle etc etc. Muscle upset due to micro damage can occur as well as a flare.

Is there anything that could be changed in the other trips that might prevent the ‘hobble of shame’ after it? It might be that you need to keep the dose higher than you’d like if not.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think Snazzy has covered everything I'd say!!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

To be honest expecting much to happen within 3 days is probably optimistic… that’s why the flare protocol says at least a week, but maybe requires 2 weeks to get things back under control.

Once you have achieved that, would suggest staying at 3 mg until all your travels are done and dusted.

[Mazxstitch in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks to all of you, Snazzy D, PMRpro and Dorset Lady. I think you have hit the nail on the head. I was supposed to fly on the Friday, but that was the day of the Storm and all UK airports were shut down. My garden fence was demolished by the storm.

The flight we went on the next day was very stressful. Instead of a 5 hour flight from Aberdeen to Tenerife, we had a half hour flight to a different destination in order to change the crew. We didn't get to the hotel till 11p.m.

There were many more stressful upsets

too.

What dosage do you recommend I take?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Mazxstitch]

Flare protocol is as follows -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

then as suggest above - Once you have achieved that, would suggest staying at 3 mg until all your travels are done and dusted.

[Mazxstitch in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you I will continue with the 6.75 mg for 2 weeks and then stay on 3 mg till travels over.

[Diver249]

You need to give the pred longer to work, I think. Like you I experienced a recent flare (consultant says not without seeing me or discussing with me - ludicrous use of admin to act as go betweens whereby I with difficulty talk to admin, they write email to consultant, consultant writes email to admin but not me or GP , admin phone me to read out email - but my body says yes)and I increased by 5mg. I thought that an improvement would quickly happen but it didn’t, and has taken 12 days. Today is the first day that the symptoms have disappeared.

[Mazxstitch in reply to Diver249]

Hi Diver249, I have been on Prednisolone since the 1st April 2019, when I was finally diagnosed.

13 months later I found Health Unlocked and it has been a life saver for me.

I read the daily emails and I have had excellent advice from PMRpro, DorsetLady and 0thers when I have a problem.

[Diver249 in reply to Mazxstitch]

Agreed. I’ve seen the endorsement from Kate Gilbert too. Enough said!