Glaucoma, PMR and Prednisone
Posted , 5 users are following.
I ask this question in relation to what happened to a friend, not for myself. Let's call hier Mrs. V.
Mrs. V has had glaucoma for decades and suffers from raises in pressure in the eyes requiring specialist review from time to time.
Mrs. V was diagnosed with PMR and noticed significant relief of all over body pain she had been experiencing for months. I believe the starting dose was 10 or 15 mg and it took about five days for Mrs. V to have almost total relief. Sorry I don't have a lot of detail.
To get my question, When the eye doctor heard Mrs V was on predisone she was told she could not take this medication because of her glaucoma. Mrs V tapered off the medication fairly quickly and is back in pain.
My questions:
Has anyone been denied prednisone for PMR because of pre-existing long term glaucoma?
Can a person with glaucoma take prednisone?
0 likes, 11 replies
mary_49929 jean39702
Posted
mary_49929
Posted
I 'll start again.. I 've been on pred for nearly nine months with CHA and PMR down to nine now from sixty. I ve developed glucoma and cataracts due to the steroids, but haven't been told to stop... maybe it's a completely different issue, but i ve not heard of steroids being stopped because of glucoma problems.... I m now awaiting operations for this.... just one thing after another!! , good luck with it all..
jean39702 mary_49929
Posted
track mary_49929
Posted
I was diagnosed with Glaucoma while taking a high dose of Prednisone, I am on Timoptil drops daily for this problem. My Opthamologist said there is no problem with having the drops whilst on Predn. Since lowering the Predn. down to 4mg, also my inflammation has gone down to normal, also the high pressures in both eyes have almost returned to normal. My Opthamologist still wants me to keep using eye drops for at least another 5 months, and then he will see whether I can stop using them.
Hope this helps.
Track
mary_49929 track
Posted
Hi Track, Thanks for your reply, and that puts my mind at rest somewhat... as I 've lost nearly all sight in left eye and a fair bit in right eye, with sudden onset on CHA, and then PMR, but waiting for surgery now..but I can still see and am managing to still work, and getting used to changes in my lifestyle...lesswork hours and to slow down!! This forumhas helped me so much..it's a lonely road at times when unable to explain to people the tiredness etc... godd luck on your journey..
track mary_49929
Posted
Track
EileenH jean39702
Posted
They can providing their eye pressures can still be managed while on pred so they may need increased medication for the glaucoma and the pressures need to be checked more often. They might even need surgery for the glaucoma. I do know of a couple of people with glaucoma who are on pred - because they have GCA and there is a high risk of visual loss due to the GCA.
In some people the eye pressure can increase when on pred - but it doesn't happen in everyone. I've been on pred for 8 years - my pressures have not changed at all. The only way to find out would be to take pred and monitor the pressures closely. I don't know if someone with pre-existing raised pressures is at a greater risk - they may be. But obviously her ophthalmlogist doesn't think it is an option - or maybe he doesn't realise that pred is the only medication to manage PMR.
I take it you are in the USA - is MrsV also in the USA? There are some rheumies who are using tocilizumab/Actemra for PMR - it may be worth investigating. Second opions on both sides of the fence seem called for.
jean39702 EileenH
Posted
Hi Eileen. It's NWT/Panama Jean!😆
Mrs V is a friend here in Hay River. 🙂 The dear soul is in a bad way and being pushed from locum doctor to locum doctor. I'm sure it was a knee jerk reaction by the NWT eye guy. Just like the knee jerk reaction to cancel Mrs V's knee replacement when she was on prednisone. I think she was down to 10 mg at the time and had been waiting for months. Unfortuately, Mrs V doesn't speak up for herself and really needs a patient advocate. I've tried to advise her, but it all falls on deaf ears. I believe another friend has convinved Mrs. V's daughter to take on the role of advocate and accompany her to medical appointments, I may have a chat with the daughter if that's the case.
EileenH jean39702
Posted
I did wonder - but I can't cope with the "names plus a number"!
There was absolutely no need to cancel a knee replacement - I know several people who've had one done at IRO 10mg. Just needs a bit more care - so probably that is the problem!!!!
Anhaga jean39702
Posted
Am surprised that she was told to come off the pred so quickly. She could have been monitored frequently and her glaucoma medication adjusted if need be. My husband has glaucoma (but not PMR although he uses a pred based med for asthma) and since his cataract operation the pressure in the affected eye is normal and he needs no glaucoma drops any more - still being monitored frequently. I know there is a way of making a small hole in the eyeball which relieves glaucoma pressure, I guess that's what the cataract operation did for hubby. So why your friend couldn't have received a treatment like that I don't know, unless there are contraindications we don't know about. So it seems the choice isn't either increased glaucoma pressure or continued PMR pain. There are options for different treatment for both conditions.
jean39702 Anhaga
Posted
Hope your hubby is doing well.