Hello all of you brave, kind people. PMR began January 2022, diagnosed August 2023 when I started taking 10mg prednisolone. I have managed to taper to 2.5, which on the basis of all that I have read here, was good going but then I felt the return of pain as I tried to go below that. My doctor recommended a good steady state was alternating days at 5mg - in fact I didn't but took 2.5 every day until I have had to reverse to 3.75 where I now am. I have learned from you how sensitive the system is and how proteins are produced every morning (thank you Dorset Lady!) so I wonder if alternating doses during the week to achieve an average target is an optimal way to do it; does the body happily average it out or does it prefer a constant dose changing only very gradually?
My regret at finding that I can do less is that I am trying to learn to draw and paint in a classical realist way and progress has become slower than it was! Nothing compared to what so many of you have had to go through.
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Sorolla
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Alternating days of double dose rarely works in PMR if the underlying autoimmune problem is still active and is specifically not recommended. We don't think alternating doses with a big difference is a good idea ever - creeping down using a slowed taper works far better.
I've had to taper much more slowly since getting below 7mg. Now at 4mg, after diagnosis in September 2022, so you've made fast progress. Don't rush it! Have a nap before a drawing and painting session maybe? Art, like PMR, takes as long as it takes and doing art, even slowly, is a great thing.
I was diagnosed in 2023 and started on 15mg of prednisolone. I am now tapering down to 4.5 but have found going down to the lower doses much more challenging. The GP would prefer me to drop 1mg a month, but I'm holding firm and going down by 0.5 on a slow taper. It takes longer but I'm listening to my body. I've found some shoulder pain and mood swings coming back as I do more days on 4.5 so I just ease off activity and wait for things to level out again. Most days I'm fine. I'm also taking alendronic acid for osteoporosis, as I know many of us do, so today's challenge is a trip to the dentist with toothache. Not good at the best of times but more worrying on AA. Stay strong and keep smiling!
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