Well my problem is I am new to the docs...I moved here a year ago. It's been hard to see my rheumy. She diagnosed me ran blood work told me to.stsrt on 20 mg pred a day. That was kind of it. 3 to 4bweeks later things improved I saw her snd she said ok go to 15 for 2 weeks then 10 mg. Well everything is screwed up and I can't get things to settle. They ran labs a 3rd time and my labs were just under where I started. Do they told me to go to 12 mg. So here I am...I moved myself to 16 mg. for weeks. Finally I upped it to 17.5 3 days ago...it did help my back and hip pain (as of today) but my hands and ankles are swollen. My hands are bugging me but not bad. I am also exhausted and feel ill. Yesterday was my regular appt with my PC and he raised the dexa instead of pred. I am now tired and confused....do I start the dex...fo I stay the course....do I start over and go ton20 and stay until things are right then reduce slower than the rheumy wants....I won't see her.until next month. So...I really miss my old rheumy...in DC. Delaware is a different animal. But I like my new docs just not enough contact. They are all slammed becausebI think the need is greater than the number of docs. But I have learned a lot want to get you off the pred fast....that does not work
But learning about how to manage this came from this site and one other one I found. I worry about dex because net's adding another thing to the mix.... I don't have to take it...he was trying to help and thought it might.work better. I am pretty sure my ankles and hands are PMR related....unless PMR has kicked up my RA ...I have only had one flare of RA back in 2015. So....sorry blah.blah....