Here's the thing with me and bumping up my prednisone, which I would love to do but am a little afraid due to previously being exposed to Hepatitis B from one of my many tattoos.

I got over the HB virus and am completely immune from ever getting it again and my liver has been healthy since then but if my immune system ever becomes suppressed/compromised in any way (i.e, steroids, chemotherapy, biologics, etc) then I have a greater chance that my Hepatitis B will reactivate with the possibility that it may cause irreparable harm as serious as liver failure.

My rheumatologist is aware of this and I think is the reason why she only started me on 4 mg of methylprednisolone twice a day. Also, my hematologist is aware as well but he's a little more concerned about me being on any steroid at all and even went as far as to suggest that I speak to my GI about a prophylactic HBV antiviral medication while on a steroid. I have read antivirals can be hard to be on.

So I see my rheumatologist in two weeks and I see my gastroenterologist in four weeks and hope some sort of consensus comes out of both in how to treat my PMR effectively without reactivating my HBV.

I have other health issues but PMR just complicates things for me.