PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms

There are so many contributing factors and each of us is different. Starting a daily journal that tracked pain level (and location), sleep patterns, stress level, and food/alcohol (just outliers on those) helped me identify some patterns and ID the most impactful factors. I too was very active and have come to accept over time that this just isn't me for this period. Instead, I try to focus on GENTLE activities and stretching. Anything in the water is super helpful. And movement is essential.
Thank you for posting that "Gold Standard" video. Sure wish I'd seen that earlier in my journey.
Good luck to all of you - this forum is SO helpful!

Don’t forget the importance of testing (ESR, CRP) in your evaluation of dosages and whether to taper. Pain, and how you feel, and how long you have been on a particular dose, and your desire to get off prednisone should not by themselves be determinate of dosage reduction. You must get the PMR into remission. Unless that occurs, you will forever be unsuccessfully chasing an elusive target. Good luck !

I've also had trouble getting below 10 mg. I've been on prednisone for a year now for PMR, starting at 15 mg and now stuck at 10. I saw my doctor yesterday and he told me to keep trying to taper -- starting by going from 10 down to 7.5, which to me would be *far* too steep of a drop. So I just kind of let that go in one ear and out the other. I'm going to try going down to 9.5, since the last time I went down a whole mg to 9, the pain returned. On the plus side, my most recent bloodwork was very good, except one of the inflammatory markers (can't remember which one) was still slightly elevated. My blood pressure was also okay. I think the improvement in those areas may be due to the dietary changes I've made over the past six months -- i.e. cutting red meat, drinking a lot more water, trying to eat more fruit and veggies, and really restricting my salt and sugar intake. Either way, taping down the prednisone seems to be a long, slow process, with quite a few hitches along the way. I've learned to listen to my body, rather than the doctor, when it comes to how fast or slow to taper.

Update from this post…had horrible relapse starting in February …upped prednisone to 5 mg in April but continued downward spiral of pain and swelling of knees and hips …finally in June saw dr and upped prednisone to 20 mg …that brought about immediate results for about a week but then started to flare anyway …middle of July upped Actemra shot to weekly and had immediate improvement …have reduced prednisone to 15 mg and plan to reduce to 10 mg at my next weekly injection …I can now walk more and go up stairs without crippling pain …will start slow 1 mg a week reduction After a week at 10 mg in hopes of getting rid of prednisone totally …I think the Actemra is making this happen …an unusual thing I did get this week though was an outbreak of quarter size very itchy spots made up of small blisters ..10 in all on my legs …hoping ketoderm will cure them…always exciting new hurdles 😵‍💫

Thank you @art43 . Yesterday I spoke with my Dr, and he told me to go to 30 mg from the 20 I was on. I am just about pain free this morning, what a relief! He will check blood work next week. He said I will be on 30 for 2 weeks minimum then decrease by 2.5 mg and we'll see how that goes. Thank you everyone for your support and advice. I feel better informed and it is so wonderful to have this forum.

I was on 30 for a month, then decreased by 5 every two weeks to 10, all with no pain at all. At that point, my ESR/SED was normal. Your rheumy seems on top of it. Good luck.

Diet changes really can be helpful. Find as many foods on the anti-inflammatory list that you enjoy eating and incorporate them into meal planning.
Start paying more attention to labels for sodium and sugar content.