I tapered very slowly in terms of dosage, trying to keep a slow and relatively steady % decrease (cutting 5 and 1 mg tabs) but I wonder if my not staying at one level long enough contributed to my relapse? After an 8-month taper and 3 months ‘clean and feeling fine’ I’m back on 20 mgs with a full blown flare. Are flares inevitable?

Thinking back, just days before this flare I had been stressed with several sets of overnight visitors on top of fall garden prep work—all at a pace that didn’t allow for rest periods. It seems every PMR episode occurs as a sort of let-down relief from stressors.

Diet may play another important role. I normally keep to an anti-inflammatory regimen. Now I’ve learned that a low-histamine diet helps as well. Studying that food list I see that while I had company I indulged in most everything that was on the high histamine list, so that may well factor in. Who knows?

My plan at this point is to extend the duration of each taper step and, especially when next off Prednisone, keep to a low histamine, anti-inflammatory diet longer—i.e., extend those transition steps. Easy does it. 🤞