I have to once again rely on this forum for advice that I can't get from the medical community.

Posted , 5 users are following.

I present a problem with prior backround to the same GP who seems intent on diagnosing, orders Xray, then after radiology reports no significant change (hips this time), he passes the report to me through online channel with no further intent to find the problem. And this is a nice doctor who has been of significant help in the past with cardiac bypass, PMR etc. 

I can't help but conclude that even if it's a subconcious thing, there is a strong tendancy to ignore medical problems in the very aged patients and devote energy towards those who can be helped with less effort. My main question today deals with the differentiation of the effects of PMR and Pred dosage with symptoms related to OA and similar. I'm sure there are markers involved concerning the nature, location, and timing of pain involved that are very familiar to many of you who have suffered and or have communicated with those who have. Getting down to specifics, my ability to walk any distance pain free has steadily shrunk since march of this year. I have had PMR since January 2014, on Pred since May 2014. Currently at 4 mg and holding. Untill August I was still able to play doubles tennis for at least two hours 2-3 times a week. Then the pain in my quadriceps kept increasing, sometimes both sides, right side mostly at this time. The right quad pain sometimes extends to the knee and calf. It pains on demand much as you would describe vasculitis. Yes, I know. I'll be 86 end of this month and should be happy to get out of the chair. But this is what life extension is all about. These things have answers if the patient or his doctor have the dedication to follow up. This is my follow up instead of give up. I have probably left out some details that would help and will be glad to fill in. If experimenting with a significant increase in dosage for a reasonable time period would eliminate the well known problem of low cortisol, I am ready to try.

Paul

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Paul, it sounds to me like overworked muscle that need a rest.  Slow down a bit. If you stop playing tennis for a week, it should recover. In a mean time I would still be active ( take walks and do some gentle strething of both quads and hamstrings).  Also good massage may help.  That is what I do for muscle pain. Sincew this does not sound like pain from PMR, I would not change pred dose. 
    • Posted

      I have not played tennis in over a month and has been two months since playing regular 2-3 times per week.
  • Posted

    I would suggest that the things you (and a doctor or maybe a physio?) need to consider may be possible steroid myopathy or bursitis. Or maybe even low back problems of the myofascial pain syndrome variety. It doesn't sound like low cortisol - that would be accompanied by rather more fatigue than it sounds as if you are suffering - i.e. you wouldn't WANT to do the exercise..

    Is the pain in the muscle or on the outside of your thigh? Does the leg pain occur when you use your legs and then go when you stop? I.e. is it claudication-type pain? Though if it were claudication I would expect it to be more in the calf than the quadriceps.

    If it were OA in the hip then I would expect it to be more localised to the groin - but low back problems of some sort could lead to sciatica which often appears as pain when you try to use the limb more.

    And what about trying some complementary therapy - Bowen therapy perhaps. It's where I might start in a similar situation on the grounds you can bypass the doctor if they aren't listening to an octogenarian...

    • Posted

      Pain is in the thigh muscle and lately gone down through knee to calf. Knee feels "under pressure" when first standing. Pain is hard to get rid of from action or position. Hurts as much standing as walking. Sitting gives most relief. In total, very much matches sciatica.

  • Posted

    You're 86!!!! Thank your lucky stars that you are still alive and kicking and able to play tennis! If only I could move enough to play tennis! And I am 55!!!

    • Posted

      In that respect I'm fortunate. But I don't want to throw it away by giving up. We can only extend life expectancy by taking full advantage of lucky breaks in genetics and having taken reasonable care of body (was never an exercise freak).

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