Dropping

[Annodomini]

I'm down to 3mg of pred at last! I took it easy for a few weeks, 3 and 4 on alternate days, and it now seems to be going OK after a week on 3. I had a routine blood test recently - CRP is up to 24, but that could be due to a sinus infection I had around the time of the test. Dexa scan showed some thinning of the top of the left femur - an extra incentive to be very careful on ice and slush; and a reminder to be good and take my strontium ranelate every night. My calcium tablets (ADcal) has a hefty dose of Vit D so that should compensate for the lack of sunlight.

Good luck to everyone 'on the drop' and do take it gradually.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi Annodomini

Good to hear that your drop from 4 to 3 appears to be successful - well done! Might just be an idea to get that CRP checked again as soon as possible though and definitely before any further reduction as it should read somewhere between 0 and 5.

The calcium plus Vit D tablets are fine as long as your Vit D levels are in the normal range. If not, then a supplement of pure Vit D3 is needed to boost the levels back to within normal. Vit D blood tests are quite essential especially for those of us with PMR, as low levels can cause muscle pain and we have enough of that already don't we!

[Annodomini]

Thanks Celtic. The CRP will be checked again at the beginning of February and the doctor has told me to stay on three for a couple of months. I will also look into the Vit D issue. Your advice is invaluable.

A

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Annodomini

It sounds as though your Dr has given you good advice in recommending that you stay on 3mgs for a couple of months. Early on in my treatment, I remembered reading a recommendation that I should stay on each new dose below 5mgs for three months. What I did do and what I meant to add in my previous reply is that I found it easier to reduce from these very low doses by doing it in half mg decrements - it seemed to trick my body into not noticing the reductions and therefore I didn't seem to suffer those dratted initial withdrawal pains. Good luck with the CRP results in Feb.

[Annodomini]

I agree about the half mg decreases. I have been doing that from 7 downwards by alternating daily doses - before I went down to 3 I was taking 4 one day and 3 the next, for about two weeks.

[Hidden]

Hi Anno,

Well done - you give hope to all of us. Onwards and downwards - ha!

Pats.

[Annodomini]

Thanks Pats. It's not a bed of roses in this weather for any of us, is it? Everything seizes up and it's not all due to PMR!