New old guy on the block

[Masha]

Scheduled to get 1000 Rituxin feb 1. I need it, so I will wait another 3 months for vaccine. If I wanted vaccine now, couldn’t get appointment until Feb, then another 19 days for 2 nd one. Then wait 2 to 3 weeks after for vaccine. So I think Rituxin, wait 3 mo. get vaccine is my best option.
I got to 7.5 prednisone and could feel my throat and chest problems, went back to 8, took daily Bactrim, then it turned into head cold. Will stay at 8 for a few weeks, then try slow decrease again. For people who have been at 60 or 40 this sounds crazy, but getting down from 10 after 3 years is a challenge.

[drz]

Scheduled to get 1000 Rituxin feb 1. I need it, so I will wait another 3 months for vaccine. If I wanted vaccine now, couldn’t get appointment until Feb, then another 19 days for 2 nd one. Then wait 2 to 3 weeks after for vaccine. So I think Rituxin, wait 3 mo. get vaccine is my best option.
I got to 7.5 prednisone and could feel my throat and chest problems, went back to 8, took daily Bactrim, then it turned into head cold. Will stay at 8 for a few weeks, then try slow decrease again. For people who have been at 60 or 40 this sounds crazy, but getting down from 10 after 3 years is a challenge.

My experience is that tapering the pred meds when you get under 10 mg is a real challenge. It does not seem like a 1/2 mg or 1 should be that big of a change after I dropped by 5 or 10 when I went from 50 to 40 or 40 to 30 but my body often seems to say whoa and complain many times and says slow down or go back up. I am currently at 6 1/3 and hoping to get back to 5 or 6 again some time this year.

[Tahoerich]

Thank you for your story. I’m coming close to one year with GPA. It gives me strength to keep going on. Getting over my first flare-up. Got my first coronavirus shot last week. Glad it’s turning spring in the Lake Tahoe area. Start of yard work. Lots of things to do. Need something to do doing this coronavirus stuff. Be safe all.