Hi to Everyone.
Just spent an hour reading all the messages posted since I went to Spain :yikes: Sad to see some new friends have arrived, pleased to see the good news posts and sorry to note that some are still struggling. We've just enjoyed the best February Spanish weather I can remember (first started living/holidaying there in 1984 8) ) and I have to say that winter sunshine should be mandatory for all those suffering from PMR. I wish I had a large home in Spain and could invite everyone over for regular vitamin D top ups. No aches or pains at all while I was away and decided to drop from 3.5 to 3mgs for a couple of days a week with no hassle. It was good to see the daffodils making an effort when we got back, so hopefully spring is just around the corner. :rose: (where's the daff? Really must try and add a few more emoticons to this site!!) Just wanted to say hello to everyone and look forward to my daily dose of PMR blog. Take care everyone.
Lizzie Ellen
Lizzie Ellen, Glad you are back and so cheerful ! It has been so grey and gloomy here ! And not only the weather ! :roll: I have good news : I have been elected a Life Member of the MPR&GCA North East Support Group. I have received information of all the incredible hard work and dedication this small group of 5 women have put into putting PMR-GCA into the forefront of the Medical Institutions ! Amazing what they have achieved so far ! They need support from PMR/GCA sufferers, to help them with their aim to increse awareness of this indebilitating illness, and help towards increasing the research into the cause and possible cure. I hope the moderator is kind enough to allow this post to be shawn in the experience post. Hope I am not disappointed :wink: :rose: Granny Mossxxx
Welcome back Lizzie Ellen although I bet you wish you'd stayed in sunny Spain a bit longer with the dull, grey and wet weather that has greeted you here! At least the sunshine will have given you a good boost of Vit D....wouldn't it be interesting to know what your levels are right now! At least it's wonderful news from you that you managed to reduce whilst you were away and wow :wow: you're successfully down to 3mgs now :cheers: I was talking to a lady at the wonderful Calypso-themed :P party we went to yesterday (diet out the window! :roll: ), who recovered from PMR and was off steroids within a year, so it can happen and you're certainly not far behind :D so well done.
MrsO
Hi Mrs O. I'd forgotten the pretty colours!. Thanks for the welcome home and yes, I would love to be back in my courtyard with a book and a glass of the (medicinal) red stuff :redwine: :D Not quite down to 3mgs but getting there. I had decided to go from 4mgs to 3.5mgs on my long and slow 7 weekly reduction, but managed to throw a couple of 3mg days in last week! Just going to pop one 3mg day in this week and see if anyone notices!! If I do make it to 'nil points' (not banking on it!) it'll have taken two years almost to the day. Makes me feel so much in control when I decide how much and when to drop, I must be power crazy :winkeye: I'm seeing my lovely Rheumy in a couple of weeks and I think she'll be happy with me (apart from my weight and I absolutely cannot blame that on the steroids this time, just too much of everything on holiday!)
Hi Granny Moss. You really are an inspiration, were you a politician in an earlier life :lol: I was sorry to hear about all your trials and tribulations while I was away and hope that all has settled and you and your husband are keeping well.
Off to put my feet up now and catch up on yesterday's newspaper. Bliss!
Lizzie Ellen
Hello Lizzie Ellen
Welcome back you must have brought some sunshine with you because it is lovely here today !!
Yes the forum has been very busy while you have been away and a lot of people struggling After spending some time looking up the side effects of Alendonic Acid it is hard to tell what peoples problems are the PMR the steroids or AA !
Great you are on your way to 3 I am going form 3.5 to 3 but in my slow 8 week way !! I was tempted to speed up a bit but I then remembered me 12 months ago and thought Id better not rock the boat
We went out with our friends last night who are off to their place in Spain for 3 weeks and wished that we were going too !
Off to enjoy some sun here
Mrs G
Hi Mrs G. Trust you to go one better than me - 8 week reductions to my meesly 7 :D (only joshing!!). Actually I hear your note of caution and, coupled with my own thoughts I'm going back to the 4mgs/3.5mgs drop. Got a bit carried away with myself in sunny, warm, bright, cheerful, happy, delightful Spain (shut up Lizzie you're in Basingstoke now 8) ). I've just been shopping and its so dreary and cold here today that I'm already longing to be back in the sunshine. I hope your friends enjoy the same weather as we did. Quite exceptional for this time of year. We're due to go to Marrakech three weeks today and I've just seen on the news that they're rioting in the square :yikes: Looks like that splash of Vit D might be off the menu. Really pleased to hear that your reduction is going well. I'm more than happy to be the tortoise and not the hare :bunny:
Keep well.
Lizzie
Hi Lizzie Ellen, welcome back to the dreary UK ! :wink:
Yesterday I dropped to 2mg, after being on 2.5 since end of Nov. '10.
Started at 20 mg back in April 2009. Could have done with a bit of your sunshine while I'm doing it , but thought I would give it a go as this coming week should be a quiet one for me! :D
Like I have said many times, I too would rather be the tortoise than the hare.
:bunny:
I can always go back up on the dose if it doesn't work out. I haven't had to do that for a long time, so here's hoping.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend
Best wishes, Julia ( DD )
Hi Lizzie Ellen, Oh it does sound a lovely break - we can all get a feel for it second hand :D
We saw a glimpse of sun this morning but now it has reverted to its usual grey, not much Vit D going on here! Anyway we haven't had a repeat of all the pre-Christmas snow which is the main thing.
I am aiming for 6.5 coming down from 7.0 after just over 2 years, like Mrs G I had a blip this time last year, so I'm one of the really slow ones! :roll: For some reason I took ages stuck on 7.5, so I'm not rushing it. So I hope your reduction goes smoothly - you must feel you're really on the \"home straight\" now, as they say 
Green Granny
Welcome home Lizzie Ellen Glad your holiday was such a success. Sunshine. red stuff sitting in your courtyard sounds marvellous.
The sun shone here last Tuesday week. Wall to wall, all day. Haven't seen it since and that is hardly any exaggeration. But the catkins and the snowdrops are lovely. If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind? as some poet said. :rainbow: BettyE
Hello again
Well I hope your reductions go well Green Granny and Devonshire Dumpling It is really hard to know how long to stay on a doseage or how fast to reduce I find it hard to believe that on my first bout of PMR I was on 1mg very easily in 12mths !!
I think if all goes to plan and I dont have any problems I might get there in 3 years but it is the blips that are so disheartenning last blip meant 12mths reductions just disappeared
Hope you get your planned trip Lizzie Ellen but the news isnt good at present Spain seems a lot more peaceful !!
I saw miles of Primroses by the side of the road today ?? very strange we should have daffodils first !!
Mrs G
Welcome home from sunny Espana Lizzie Ellen....... to a grey and raw UK...... well it has been here for the past three days!
You sound brimming with energy and go..... the sunshine obviously gave you a much needed boost :lol:
To those of you reducing, hope it is all going well and you are all comfortable and managing.
♫•*¨☼¨*•.¸★ WELCOME BACK ★¸.•*¨☼¨*•♫Lizzie Ellen
Glad to see that you had a great time