Mrs K Good News

That is wonderful news, mrs UK. You must be so relieved!

I hope they get that test resourced so it can be routinely used for everyone.

freesia

Shirley, thank you so much for thinking of me!  And thanks for the information about teas. I didn't realize that.  I will have to be careful.  I usually drink herbal teas.  Also, I think some supplements that are meant to support the immune system have green tea in them.  I'm doing okay--how are you?

My primary care doctor is giving me a break, lol, and I won't see her until January, so I won't find out exactly how my iron is doing until then. I think my tests were looking better so she decided not to check me so frequently.  My iron stores were building up, and my hemoglobin was increasing, but slowly.  My inflammation (CRP) was down to 8.3 or so. 

I'm alternating 5 mg and 5.5 mg a day now, and it seems to be working. Although I am still having stiffness and soreness, I can manage.  I wonder why more rheumies don't catch on to the alternate-day dosing? If I hadn't come to this site, I never would have known about it.

Hope you and everyone are doing well !

freesia


Edited by freesia - 23 November 2011 at 7:10pm

Oh and by the way, Freesia - Happy Thanksgiving Day, and to all our American friends looking in!

Thanks, Celtic and MrsE!

Glad you are doing okay on your taper, Celtic. I'm sorry about the eye problem. It sounds like you are aware of what it might be, you're alert to any developments, so it's under control. Reading the computer for long hours can cause eye strain, for sure. I hope it goes away!!!

I haven't told my rheumy that I'm alternating doses.  I hope that 5/5.5 is not too low. I'd be functioning better at 8 perhaps, but I don't want to start increasing the dose again.  Am I correct in thinking that increasing and decreasing all the time with prednisone is where you can get into trouble with more side effects? Or is that a myth?

Re Thanksgiving, I am grateful that I didn't stuff myself with food. I wasn't too hungry so I just didn't go overboard.  I've never been one to gain weight over the holidays, until last year when I was grounded, mentally and physically, by PMR. I am determined not to have a repeat of that this year! I don't blame the prednisone....it's the food!

Canada has a Thanksgiving but it's in October...do you have anything like this in the U.K.?

I hope everyone has a pain-free Christmas, Hanukkah or whatever winter holiday you celebrate!

freesia

Celtic, it sounds as if I'm in exactly the situation you describe. I hope I haven't made things worse for myself. 

Another question that keeps rolling around in my mind: I've heard that pain can actually prevent a person from healing because it is stressful in and of itself.  Does it work this way with PMR, too? I know that pred doesn't cure the disease, but is it better to take enough so that we have minimal pain and stiffness?

Celtic, I don't know if it was willpower I had on Thanksgiving--honestly, I think I was enjoying being away from home so much, and I wasn't really hungry, so I just nibbled on the food. I think what helps also is that I don't like to get to the point of starvation--I eat a little bit earlier, before the big meal. Then I'm not so inclined to eat too much.  My mother's family was English and I love plum pudding with hard sauce! Is that what you are making? I used to buy the Crosse and Blackwell brand here.  Is the Christmas Cake like a fruitcake? I'm not familiar that, but mom did usually have a plum pudding, doused with brandy and set on fire!

freesia