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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Sep 10 12:05pm | Replies (1906)Comment receiving replies
Thank you, that was a lot of help. He has me scheduled for appointments every 6 weeks or so, and on my last visit, he just said we want to get to the lowest dose possible and go from there, but didn't tell me how to do this. So I have been slowly cutting back and if the pain stays away, I wait a week or so and cut another pill in half and try that. Your suggestion of having lower doses on hand sounds awesome. I will call his office and see if I can get some smaller doses. What is the typical maintenance dose? He said I may have to take a low dose for a year or more, but he didn't say how low.
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My rheumatologist gave me a schedule for tapering. He advised tapering every two weeks by 2.5 mg. I started at 15 mg. and went to 12.5 after two weeks, then 10mg. after another two weeks. I am now taking 7.5 mg. and expect to go down to 5 mg. soon. This schedule involves splitting a 5 mg. tablet into two pieces for the 2.5 mgs. He advised getting labs again when I reach the 5 mg. level and he will decide what to do from there. I am 75 and this is my second bout of PMR. I first experienced PMR thirteen years ago when it lasted for six months before going into remission. I am now five months into this second flare-up of PMR and the pain is gradually subsiding even though I am cutting back on the prednisone. I hope this is helpful to others who are experiencing PMR.