Lots Of Pain

Hi, Judy- Is this a relapse?  Eileen has said that a second round of PMR responds differently than the first attack.

A rapid response to prednisone is often considered diagnostic for PMR- if this does not occur, many doctors consider other disprders.  However, I had absolutely classic symptoms of PMR except for a slow response to prednisone, needing to go to 20 mg before the pain was substantially reduced.  In fact, I was on a high dose (30 to 60 mg) for a week because of fear of GCA and that is when the inflammation really cleared up.

On this forum, people recognize that there is great variation in how PMR affects people and how it responds to prednisone.  I was on 20-25 mg for a couple of months (achieving very good control of pain) before successfully reducing the dose.

Forum motto:  we are all different.

You should be able to suppress the pain with pred some people take paracetamol in small amounts. You should not mix Ibubrofen and steroids as they are contra indicative. I found Tramadol had no effect at all on my PMR before I was diagnosed. I suppose the one thing that really helps PMR pain is pred and we need to take enough to get the inflammation under control, when it really is a wonder drug. 

Hi judy

When I was first diagnosed I was started on 15mg, after a week this was raised to 20mg which still wasn't enough so finally my doctor advised 25mg and this did the trick, no pain. Stayed on this dose for 2 months so it may be worth you trying 25mg to see if the pain goes.

Hi Judy,

i was diagnosed early March this year but think it began the previous June.

i have had a few days where I thought I could climb Mt. Everest and others when I could barely move from fatigue and burning sensation in my lower back and thighs. Rarely am I 100% pain free but sometimes close to it.  My biggest problem so far is adjusting to  the correct dosage of prednisone.

i am now on 25mg and may have to go to 30 but will wait til Tuesday when I see rheumatologist.

Take care.

Audrey

Patience is the key word.  Try to relax and rest, no stress.

Try other ways of dealing with the pain - I would rather not

take any drugs which may interact negatively with prednisone,

 all the information in the world does not include your chemistry.

Sometimes a good book, a short slow walk, fresh air - anything

to take your mind off the pain.  You'll get through this - I am at

3mgs. after 18 months on a s l o w reduction, only reducing when

I felt my body was ready and even then having to go back up 1 mg

if necessary.  I am 87 and have just taken up watercolour painting,

it's like meditation, you just get lost in it.  Count your blessings and

you'll be OK.  Good luck.

 

You shouldn't be taking ibuprofen alongside pred - it increases the risk of gastric bleeding too much. If you have PMR there are really not other pain medications that provide much help and tylenol rarely does anything for anything in my experience! It is also very bad for livers.

You may not get 100% pain relief from the pred - you should however have noticed a real improvement in pain and stiffness by now and what is being looked for is a 70% improvement overall within a couple of weeks at most which reverses if the pred is stopped. If that doesn't happen then the diagnosis should be reassessed - other things present in a similar manner. And relapses behave differently - sometimes in a better way, sometimes not.

However - you too have to do your part. If you do feel better that doesn't mean you can go out and do the cleaning/gardening/walk miles or whatever. You must rest and pace yourself, without that you will need much more pred to achieve the same result as if you look after yourself.

And yes - stress plays a major role in PMR as well. The autoimmune cause of PMR never really goes away, it merely goes into remission. If you don't look after yourself it can come back - and that includes trying to avoid stress.