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← Return to PMR flare without a dose reduction
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PMR flare without a dose reduction
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 28, 2022 | Replies (12)Comment receiving replies
I'm due to drop from 13 mg to 12 mg today and I in no way feel ready for that. I've been sore through upper back and neck, back of thighs and this morning backs of arms started up. The weather here is so damp and humid last few days, which does not help. Not saying that this will continue, but I do not feel well enough today to do this and I'm already behind in the Rheumatologist's taper schedule, because I had to go up a bit from 12.5 to 13, two weeks ago (at which I only felt slightly better). I'm a believe in let your body do the talking. Ugh.
Replies to "I'm due to drop from 13 mg to 12 mg today and I in no way..."
I like @johnbishop encouragement that you pause. I do hope you are able to get your Rheumatologist to understand that our taper can not be on their schedule. I would never drop if my pain was not stable. We're reducing to find the lowest dose where our pain is controlled at the level it was when we first started prednisone. We are not reducing relentlessly to zero. If you try to do that the inflammation will accumulate and you'll have a flare. I try not to yoyo, but you may need to go back to where you last felt pretty good (I'm never painless), stabilize for a time and then try to slowly reduce again. It is a struggle. I agree with your comment to "let your body do the talking."
Hi @mild835, my rheumatologist told me to advise him of any changes in my symptoms when I started to taper and go back to the previous dosage for a couple of weeks, then try the taper again. The schedule may be good for your Rheumatologist, but not so great for you. We're all different and our bodies don't always react according to plan.
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You got this @mild835! Hoping it's just a minor pause in the taper.