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Celebrex and Prednisone

Posted , 8 users are following.

Poupe
Poupe

Just saw my Rheumatologist who is suggesting I continue to decrease dosage of Prednisone  at a slow pace but also suggesting I start on Celebrex and alternate with prednisone in hopes that I am able to get off prednisone entirely.

Has anyone with PMR been able to take Celebrex and have it handle any pain or inflammation?  

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • connie28112
    connie28112 Poupe

    Posted

    Hello Poupe-

    I tried Celebrex prior to being put on prednisone and it did not help me with PMR pain.  The only NSAID that helped reduce my pain is dyclofenac (Voltaren).  I took the slow release diclofenac 75mg first at high doses: 150mg/day for 2 weeks to get my pain to manageable levels and then at lower levels of prednisone, I took 75mg as needed, usually 2-3x week.

    However, our bodies are all so very different... I dont know how many mg of prednisone you are on, but Celebrex may help you reduce even further ... which is of course our ultimate goal.  Good luck!!

    • Poupe
      Poupe connie28112

      Posted

      I should have mentioned I am presently at 6 1/2 mg prednisone 
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Poupe

      Posted

      This is a very reasonable dose of pred.  If your symptoms are being controlled with 6.5 you should be very pleased.  Are you using a very slow taper plan?  This is the point where you need to be very careful to taper extra slowly to give the adrenal glands time to wake up and do the job pred has been doing for them.  
    • Poupe
      Poupe Anhaga

      Posted

      Hi Anhaga......I am doing the dsns method but in getting down to 5mg flared so went back to 7 mg for awhile.   
  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Poupe

    Posted

    I cannot believe you have been given this advice to deal with PMR.  Celebrex I refused to take as I think it shouldn't even be on the market.  Other drugs in that class have been removed, and Celebrex was the best of a bad lot, I guess.  Only pred is effective against the pain of PMR.  According to Wikipedia "side effects include a 37% increase in incidence of major vascular events, which include nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or death from a blood vessel-related cause."

    As PMR is a vascular disease I think prescribing this medication to you is unwise, to say the least.. 

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga

      Posted

      Re-reading my reply about Celebrex I should make sure it's understood that the Wikipedia article was about Celebrex, not prednisone.  I had been prescribed Celebrex for what was thought to be osteoarthritis pain (my doctor at the time completely missing the signs of PMR which I, of course, knew nothing about at the time).

  • gillian_25383
    gillian_25383 Poupe

    Posted

    I was on Celebrex and diclofenac before steroids.Unfortunately in my case they caused kidney damage so had to stop them.Plus Celebrex is in a group of drugs found to be detrimental to heart health.Four years ago I had a heart attack but as this was after stopping Celebrex probably not related.

    Everyone reacts to drugs differently so if it works for you,good luck

    • Poupe
      Poupe gillian_25383

      Posted

      Thanks to all of you for sharing your experience.   Only with this knowledge can we move forward to the best way to eliminate taking any drugs.  
  • EileenH
    EileenH Poupe

    Posted

    NSAIDs do not normally make the slightest difference to PMR pain. I have no idea what makes your rheumy think a COX2 inhibitor would make the slightest difference in PMR.

    And frankly - I think the side effects of corticosteroids are peanuts compared with the potential NSAID ones, especially the COX2 inhibitors.

    You are already at a physiological dose of pred - about the same as your body needs to make naturally in the form of cortisol to function. A good rheumatologist would not be concerned at that dose after just a few years. Mine is getting edgy - but I've been on doses at around 8mg at best for the last 9 years! He said today that if I got down a couple of mg he'd be happy.

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