1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

What steroid dosage did you start on? Did you find the right dosage?

Posted by abbeyc @abbeyc, Feb 5, 2022

Hello I am wondering what dosage of Prednisone everyone started on and how long (days) did it take to get complete 100% relief (if ever). Or how long did it take to find the right dosage? I have trialed 3 different steroid doses (with help from my doctors) for the past month and no success yet controlling all the pain 100% or determining the right dosage for me. Maybe I'm impatient.

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edwardh | @edwardh | Apr 3 6:51am

My doctor said it is more important to knock pmr down and only taper enough to keep it under control. None of us like being on steroids but autoinflammatory disease is worse. No harm in trying to get off the meds though. Your rheumatologist may be trying to encourage patience.

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 3 7:28am
In reply to @sandysomers "I'm relatively new here. PMR symptoms came on like a tsunami in mid-November. After dozens of..." + (show)
@sandysomers

I'm relatively new here. PMR symptoms came on like a tsunami in mid-November. After dozens of tests, my GP suspected PMR and started me on 20mg of Prednisone. It helped for 2 days, then I the debilitating pain returned. Saw a rheumatologist in mid-December who diagnosed PMR and said I was likely prednisone resistant, so he started me on 8mg of Medrol. Same thing.... better for a couple days, then intense pain returned. Increased Medrol to 48mg for 2 days, tapering by 8mg every 2 days until I got to 8mg. That was brutal - horrible side effects to the high dose steroids but the pain was significantly reduced. I had to stall and increase a few times but got to 8mg with tolerable pain after about 4 weeks. Stayed on 8mg for about a month and then started tapering by 1mg every week or two until I got to 4mg (3 weeks ago). I'm achy and stiff in the mornings but it's very tolerable and I’m ready to go lower and see what happens.

My goal is to get completely off Medrol in the next couple of months. My rheumatologist said if I'm able to, then I do not/did not have PMR because EVERYONE needs long term steroids/biologics (minimum of 1 yr, usually longer). That deflated me because I’m sure I have PMR.

Hope to find others who were successful in getting off steroids in less than a year.

Grateful for all the helpful information and stories shared!

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@sandysomers, I've had 2 instances of PMR. The first time took 3 and half years to taper off of prednisone. Six years later the PMR came back and I went back on 20 mg prednisone and it only took 1 and half years to taper off. I've been in remission now for a little over six years and hoping it doesn't come back. I believe I was able to taper off quicker the second time due to making some lifestyle changes, eating healthier along with eliminating most processed foods and reducing the amount of sugar and inflammatory foods. I also added a little more regular exercise to my daily routine. Here's another discussion that you might find helpful:

--- PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/

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1 reply
jkristinsson2014 | @jkristinsson2014 | Apr 4 11:54am

I started on 10mg & found relief almost immediately. I have tapered down to 5 since December with mild symptoms.

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sandysomers | @sandysomers | Apr 5 5:38pm
In reply to @johnbishop "@sandysomers, I've had 2 instances of PMR. The first time took 3 and half years to..." + (show)
@johnbishop

@sandysomers, I've had 2 instances of PMR. The first time took 3 and half years to taper off of prednisone. Six years later the PMR came back and I went back on 20 mg prednisone and it only took 1 and half years to taper off. I've been in remission now for a little over six years and hoping it doesn't come back. I believe I was able to taper off quicker the second time due to making some lifestyle changes, eating healthier along with eliminating most processed foods and reducing the amount of sugar and inflammatory foods. I also added a little more regular exercise to my daily routine. Here's another discussion that you might find helpful:

--- PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for sharing, John. Hope you never have another bout of PMR.

I 'm exercising, eating well and taking lots of supplements after going to a functional medicine doctor who specializes in auto-immune and hormone issues. Among other things, I'm taking glutathione, Omega 3 and ALA). Hard to know for sure, but I believe the supplements are helping.

The link you provided to Dosages and Managing Symptoms is great, thanks again!

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