Marilyn
Hi Shar, i live in California. Sounds like you are doing a little better at the higher dose. I had to go back up to 7 1/2 but have now gotten down to 6 1/4. I tried alternating 5 and 6 1/4 but that didn't do it. The fatigue is really getting me down. Seems worse than a year ago. I still have pain at 6 1/4 but it is bearable. Sometimes I think I have something else going on in my left hip as it seems to be worse that anywhere else. My hamstrings really hurt. I have never had a high sed rate but some people do not. It's really to bad that prednisone is so hard on ones body as we would be pain free if we could take more of it. I feel really great at 20. I read an article that said researchers were aware that respiratory infections are often present in the early stages of polymyalgia and since I had a respiraory infection just before I got it I am wondering if that is what triggered it. In the meantime I just plug along. Seeems heat helps the pain for me. Hot baths and showers, but I can't spend all my time in them. I could take Vioxx for the pain but did so for a year and am trying not to do that as who knows what that was doing to my body. So far so good. Keep your chin up. things will get better.