spike again!

[Elmadon]

I Have been coming down 1 mg every six weeks and two days ago I came down to 4 mg and today I am aching neck and hips. Do I go back to the protocol? Or since it’s such a short time, can I just go back up to 5 mg?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Try 5mg initially -but if it hadn’t settled within a week then go for flare protocol

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Plus maybe reduce by only 0.5mg a time from now on.. especially as you say “spike again!”

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

"rifled" - I know you have a military background but ... 😉

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Ta amended 😳

[Elmadon in reply to PMRpro]

I haven’t! Where did you get that?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Elmadon]

It was PMRpro's reply to me….predictive text inserted rifled instead of settled..

[Elmadon in reply to DorsetLady]

Ok. But I don’t Have a military background, so I don’t know where that came from!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Elmadon]

No, but I do… and the reply was from PMRpro to me - you can see above the reply… it’s just that you as the author get notifications of all replies …

[Elmadon in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you. I was a bit confused. I now know how to use this site.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Elmadon]

It’s not the clearest at times… 🙄

[PMRpro Ambassador]

First try going back to 5mg. If that works - great.

When you say "spike again" - why do you say that? Have you flared a few times at different doses or at this dose?

[Elmadon in reply to PMRpro]

Lots of times all different doses! But now have health practitioner who calls me every 6 weeks but this is first spike since she took me on she’s not on duty today hence message to you

[piglette]

As the others say dropping 1mg is quite a lot as you get to lower doses and it may be sensible to go for 0.5mg when you feel OK again. Some people even go for 0.25mg when they get below 5mg or so.

[Elmadon in reply to piglette]

Where do you get 0.5mg. I can only get 1 and 5 mg.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Elmadon]

Cut 1mg in half [provided plain uncoated ones] - pill cutters available from pharmacies, online and some supermarkets- this is good brand

Pillcutters

[Elmadon in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks. Never thought of that. It’s an age thing!

[piglette in reply to Elmadon]

You can get 2.5mg as well, which are fine until you get really low. Helps with your brain to use arithmetic!!

[Elmadon in reply to piglette]

But where do you get them? I’m in Lincolnshire.

[piglette in reply to Elmadon]

My pharmacy have 5, 2.5 and 1mg. Perhaps they have run out.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Elmadon]

It's far cheaper to just cut a 1mg or a 5mg to get 2.5mg and make it up with 1mgs. And saves the agony of persuading them they exist ... As long as you aren't on enteric coated pred which is NOT to be cut.