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← Return to PMR progressing to GCA? Broken vessels in eye
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PMR progressing to GCA? Broken vessels in eye
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Oct 10, 2022 | Replies (21)Comment receiving replies
I've had PMR for over 1.5 years and have been on 1 to 2 mg. of Prednisone for months, trying to taper off. During this last attempt to taper off, I started experiencing mild headaches at night behind my eyes. Since I rarely ever have headaches, this concerns me enough to have it evaluated for GCA. I also had some unusual pain last night in my hip joints that seemed to radiate towards my thighs. I haven't had any thigh pains for over a year and my pain, if any, seems confined to my upper arms and occasionally mid back when I try to taper off. BTW, I normally only feel pain when laying down and not when upright for some reason.
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Hi, janiceem, It sounds to me like you might have tapered a bit faster than your body would like. The amount you're on is really low for 1.5 years, but some can get away with it. But not everyone. You might talk to your doctor, but it sounds like you're dealing with prednisone withdrawal symptoms. (Headache, muscle pain, joint pain, and a host of others) Look it up on line. Maybe you can slow it down for a while, perhaps stay at 2mg continuously for a while, and see if that works, or if you have to go up another mg, or 1/2 a mg. until you feel better. Then stay there for a while perhaps. Then taper by 1/2 mg. every month or 2 until you get to the end. Many people, start tapering by 1/4mg when they get to where you are. It give your adrenal glands time to get back up and running, and lessens the occurences of steroid withdrawal. Welcome to the "ADRENAL ZONE"!!