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Low Dose Naltrexone and Prednisone for PMR?
My doctor has prescribed LDN and I will be receiving it soon from a compounding pharmacy. I am tapering prednisone, now at 12.5 (from 20 over 4 months) with no pain, although I can feel that PMR is still active. From what I have read, I plan to take 1.25mg of LDN at night, and 10 mg prednisone in the morning, slowly working the LDN up to 4.5 and the prednisone down as reasonably quickly as I can without a flare. Has anyone tried a similar formula? Any advice would be welcome, and of course I will report developments.
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My apologies if I've already posted here...
I started at 3mg LDN a little over two months ago to help with my prednisone tapering which became more urgent when I was diagnosed with SMM in May. I've tapered from 25mg to 4.5mg in three months and started kevzara 12 days ago. I think the LDN at night has helped me sleep and lessened the returning pain enough for me to do the fast taper. I'll be increasing to 4.5mg LDN at next refill.
I have been off prednisone for PMR for 6 months. I am still on 3mg LDN taken at night. Went up to higher dose a couple times and sleep was disturbed. I am not positive it helped reduce steroids, but did seem to keep mood positive. When I recently quit LDN for two days I did not feel very good, so I stay on 3mg LDN. I know this is not a scientifically accurate test. I feel like it helps with some sleep, a little pain and mood.
@oxzab
Science is based on observation. I'm also on 3mg LDN and I think it makes a difference in my sleep and pain level as I taper down prednisone and wait for kevzara to take effect.
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1 Reaction@pkalkstein I hioe this finds you well. I appreciate your journaling here. Where are you now in your journey. And, do you have any conclusions or hypotheses based on your experiences?
Anxiously awaiting your reply. Thank you in advance.
Thanks for your interest. I have been using the DSNS (dead slow nearly stop) taper and am down to 3/4 mg of Prednisone. I do not feel that LDN has helped with the PMR but it sure fixed my neuropathy and sciatica. I continue take 2.2 (half-pill) of LDN daily and have been well when others around me are I'll with colds, etc. Incidentally, a month ago my dermatitis was so obnoxious that I took 20mg of prednisolone, which stopped the itch, but amazingly wiped out all PMR symptoms for two days. Sheer bliss, just like the old days. Good luck.
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2 ReactionsI was on 2 mg LDN when I contracted PMR (for Crohn's which it helped greatly). I blame the PMR on stopping steroids too fast after appendectomy. I don't know if it helped PMR but sure helped Crohn's. I've stayed on it.
I've had PMR for 16 months. Started with 20mg prednisone and went to 15 about 2 weeks later. Tapered 1mg per month. Started having flareups at 12mg and they recurred every time I try to taper. I got to 8mg and was hung up there for about 3 months. Just kept having flareups every time I tried to taper. I never had the markers, so I have not been to a rheumatologist. My new primary doctor recommended LDN. 10 days into the LDN, I was able to taper to 7mg. I am now taking 4.5mg LDN and tapered the prednisone again within a couple of weeks. Am now at 6mg prednisone and feel better than I have in over a year. Hoping to taper again in a couple of more weeks.
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2 Reactions@mleonard59
I'm on 3mg LDN taken at night while doing a fast taper off prednisone because of a subsequent SMM diagnosis in May. I'm at 4mg prednisone with only mild to moderate pain and no trouble sleeping. I've had two shots of kevzara so far and I'm hoping that kicks in soon. I'll be at 3mg prednisone when I go back to my rheumatologist in 10 days and I'll probably bump up to 4.5mg LDN.