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← Return to Timing of taking prednisone
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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 16 6:20am | Replies (45)
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It's been a couple of months since being diagnosed with PMR. I started at 40 mg, and the first month was great with the pain gone. My doctor warned me, and he was right. Day 31 the wheels started to fall off with all the side effects as you described. But then, after the last month, I was able to start reducing the dosages. I went from 40 mg at the start to now 15 mg. I take 5 mg three times a day. The side effects lessen with each reduction, though still exist. I go to the gym in the morning before I take my first dose, so I can work out. Learning to be strategic... with the doses. This treatment with prednisone is brutal!
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Yes the Pred is def brutal, but a miracle when first diagnosed. I was diagnosed with PMR in Jan. 2022 and started at 20 mg. which worked immediately. I had managed to taper down to 11 mg then up to 14 (after a flare). In Jan. 2023 I had to go to ER with signs of GCA, which resulted in a Temporal Artery Biopsy and my being on 60 mg. Pred. The biopsy from all reports is negative for GCA. So I've been on the higher dose for 6 weeks. Now trying to reduce from 60 to 50 and back up to 55 mg. after much of the pains began to return. Yesterday, reduced to 50 mg. again and it's been a terrible two days. Very zombie-like, pains returned, kind of drunk. So much brain fog and the fatigue is relentless. I'm not complaining, but just want to let others know they are not alone (as do you I'm sure).
BUT, I'm going to persevere because I definitely need to get down to, at the least, the 20 mg. I began with a year ago.