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lower back pain

Posted , 3 users are following.

Brighid
Brighid

Hello all

Saw my Doc last week and she prescribed my 15mg daily dose of Pred. to continue for another month (that will be almost 2 months since I started). That's because I still have occasional slight pain in the mornings. This still seems to be improving. But I do still have almost constant lower back pain. It's not usually too bad, just niggling. I've had it since my other PMR symptoms began, but never particularly associated this with PMR, but I wondered if others have it as part of their symptoms. I should have mentioned it to the Doc, but I only had about 5 minutes with her. She's very nice, but I did feel hurried and I forgot to mention the back pain - as we were discussing other things, like any side-effects of steroids, and the bone density scan I was due for the next day.

Best wishes to all

Brighid

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Lizzie_Ellen
    Lizzie_Ellen

    Posted

    Hi Brighid,

    Can't help you on the back pain as its not something I have suffered with PMR. However it may help to know that I was kept on 15mgs from 25th September 2009 until 1 January 2010, so over three months. I feel this gave me a really good basis on which to start a gradual reduction. I was down to 2mgs by February of this year but then had some Grandson stress that pushed me back up to 5mg :shock: Please don't let the Doctor hurry you :doctor: . Book a double appointment if you feel you need to, take a list and make sure he/she sees you ticking each thing off. I won't budge from my chair until I'm satisfied I have all the information and answers I need. I do however sit very patiently in the waiting room if she over-runs incase she's got a stubborn 'list maker' like me in with her :ok:

    Hope the pains soon go and you get some answers regarding your back.

    Love from Lizzie xxx

  • EileenH
    EileenH

    Posted

    Yes Brighid - I had low back pain for years and assumed it was from various things but after several months on pred it improved a lot (I had had PMR for about 5 years prior to dx and treatment). Now I just have the low back problems if I try to lean forwards and maintain a postion to do something like vacuuming or getting something from the back of the boot of the car - then it just goes into spasm -or if the PMR decides to have a flare. I think there is some sacro-iliac problem in there too though - nothing to see on an x-ray so definitely muscular.

    I echo Lizzie in saying don't let anyone hurry you - and that includes you! Be happy on the 15mg as long as things keep improving s that suggests there is still some residual inflamamtion hanging around. Get rid of it first before even thinking of reducing the dose.

    Eileen

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey

    Posted

    Hello Brighid

    I'm one of those who suffered a lot of low back pain spreading round to the hip area with PMR. It improved but never really went away until I got on the lower steroid doses. I do have a long-term back injury so it's possible that made matters worse for me. It used to be more noticeable after first getting up in the mornings to the point where I used to have little moments of having to sit down between trying to prepare my breakfast.

    As the others have said, don't be in a hurry to reduce from your starting dose - although the steroids work their magic very quickly at the beginning, they are not curing PMR but simply getting the inflammation under control and that takes time to really settle. To reduce too soon could simply mean worsening pain and having to return back to the starting dose anyway.

    Good luck with your DEXA results.

    MrsO

  • Brighid
    Brighid

    Posted

    Thank you all for your advice and comments. I feel so supported by this group! smile
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