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Lower Back Pain

Posted , 7 users are following.

freda68872
freda68872

Hi, I have recently (3 days) been put on 40 mg of prednisolone for Temopral Arteritis and Polymylgia Rheumatica, on the very first day I developed really painful lower back pain (spasms) and have has these every day now after taking thetablets, can last a few hours. Is this a normal side effect as I can't find any info?

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • pat38625
    pat38625 freda68872

    Posted

    Hi, welcome on board.  I am a newbie just diagnosed in November.  Someone will be along in a moment to answer your question.  It's a brilliant website with lots of support and advice.  Hang on in there.

    Pat

    • pat38625
      pat38625 freda68872

      Posted

      No problem Freda.  We are all here to help and support one another and I would be lost without them.  They really are a great bunch.
  • EileenH
    EileenH freda68872

    Posted

    Muscle twitching or tightening is listed in medlineplus as well as other sites with a data sheet as a side effect that should be reported.

    I'm a bit surprised it happened so quickly - a lot of people complain of muscle cramps and that is often due to the effect that pred has on magnesium levels in the body. Magnesium supplements can help there. Pred can also affect potassium levels - eat bananas and dried apricots to combat that. Calcium levels may also be affected - are you on calcium/vit D supplements?

    However, I really think you should call your GP in the morning and ask advice. In the old days of NHS Direct I would have suggested them but now getting to speak to a medically qualified person is far more difficult and the call handlers won't have a clue! It is a bit strange really - pred is sometimes used to deal with back muscle spasms! It could be coincidence - and the PMR part of the illness has affected your back via something called myofascial pain syndrome. They aren't the same but do often happen together - though again, I'd have though the pred would help not make it worse.

    Do let us know how you get on with a doctor (who, by the way, I'd hope would do blood tests for potassium, calcium and magnesium at the very least) - yet another thing to add to the field of knowledge when it is sorted!

    • freda68872
      freda68872 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your advice. I'm not on any supplements at the moment. I will call my GP in the morning, I thought it a bit odd that this happened so quickly and wondered if I had done anything to cause the back pain but I hadn't.

      I will post on the outcome from my GP.

    • EileenH
      EileenH freda68872

      Posted

      You should have had a prescription for calcium/vit D pressed into your hand as well. If you are lucky it will save having to take less pleasant substances to protect your bones while on pred. That has been enough for me so do ask the GP. 

      Was it the GP or a specialist who made the diagnosis and started the pred?

  • david14272
    david14272 freda68872

    Posted

    LO freda. just like the Cape Crusader Eileen is there.If you use the 3 forums the Girls will be there for you with any problems on your journey. I have been on Pred just 12months now & with info from these Forums I am down to 5mgs to 4;1/2.All the Best for your Journey. Dave
  • snapperblue
    snapperblue freda68872

    Posted

    As soon as I went on 20 mg of Prednisone (last week), I developed a mildly painful tightness in my mid- to lower-back. I could not image why prednisone would cause this kind of site-specific effect and, until I saw your message, I thought I must be imagining a connection to the drug. If Prednisone is not causing it, our reactions are quite a coincidence!

    I do not have spasms, but a constant discomfort.  For me, it is relieved, at least temporarily, by lying on a warm heating pad (lowest setting).  The effect is less now than it was last week, so I hope your spasms will decrease soon.  Good luck!

     

    • freda68872
      freda68872 snapperblue

      Posted

      Hi, I called GP and he said purely coincidental and to improve my posture! It has lessened a bit today though.
    • EileenH
      EileenH freda68872

      Posted

      Luckily I had a rather more sympathetic pain specialist who pointed out that the posture we adopt has more to do with the pain we are in for whatever reason - we stand "badly" because that way it hurts less. I had an equally useless physio many years ago - and suffered for several years unnecessarily until I found a wonderful physio who was disgusted at her colleague's assessment.
  • freda68872
    freda68872

    Posted

    Thank you everyone, it's so good knowing your support is here.

    I had my biopsy done last week and am now waiting for the results, in the meantime the 40 mg of pred is helping enormously.

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