Just had blood work done & CRP is <2.9 & ESR is 19. I have been on 10 mg for 6 months now & pulse is 100 to 110. Wonder if I start decreasing would that get my pulse rate down. Also what does <0 mean.
Thanks
Hi Mary, the < sign means less than so your CRP is less than 2.9
Mary, those CRP and ESR results are excellent, especially if you are someone who had raised markers at diagnosis.
A pulse of 60-100 is considered to be within the normal range, but if your resting pulse is 100+ then that is too high, and the GP would be the best person for advice and to check whether there is an underlying cause other than your steroid treatment.
I guess you won't know whether your pulse will go down as your dose goes down until you try it.
I assume that if you are still on 10mgs after 6 months, then you are still symptomatic - certainly your blood tests show that your inflammation is controlled, but the important thing is how you actually feel.
Thanks for answering MrsO. Yes, for the most part I feel pretty well. Six months ago my blood tests showed extremely high inflammation & I felt just awful. I just thought it weird that CRP was less than 0. Guess it is time to bite the bullet & start reducing very slowly & hope the pulse rate goes down.
Hi Mary. Don't want to be negative but my resting pulse rate is over 100 and this caused the hospital to do ECG's. The outcome is they are now investigating a heart problem (I have abnormally high 'P waves'. If you are feeling otherwise well (whereas I am not) it may be the steroids but I would certainly heed Mrs O's advice and get checked out for other causes if only to put your mind at rest. Good luck and take care, Debbie.
Mary, I thought you said that your CRP was less than 2.9. If it's described as >0 then it is still classed as normal. This result should mean that you are at very low risk of heart disease, fingers crossed! I would think as you say you are feeling well, and with those current excellent blood test result, you should be able to reduce from that 10mg stage after being on it for as long as 6 months. But as you say very slowly. If you experience some slight return of symptoms immediately following the reduction, that could just mean that your body is noticing the withdrawal of part of the long term 10mg dose and should disappear within a couple of weeks. However, if symptoms start to return a week or two following your reduction then that could point to the inflammation resurfacing - a repeat blood test before each reduction is a helpful guide, especially in your case where your initial markers were high. I still think you should check on that pulse with your GP though.
< is less than, > is more than
You say in your first post CRP<2.9 - where does the zero come in?
My husband also has a resting pulse of over 100 and has been investigated since he also had raised BP. Nothing else was found and the cardiologist said that some people just have a high pulse rate - but the others are right, they should be looking to see if anything else is going on.
Of course, my >0 should have read <0!!!
Thanks MrsO. I don't think I expalined it very well.
Yes, it seems that might be the case. My BP is good & always has been. Am going to start reducing now & hopefully it wil come down a bit. I did have an EKG a while ago so I guess my heart just wants to beat like a mad man. Thanks for your help. Glad to hear someone else has such a fast pulse.
Saw my rheumy today & I guess the test doesn't measure anything under 2.9 so that explains it. I was wondering when I first read it...what the heck less than zero...what does that mean.