NEWBIE

Hello Nannybut and welcome although I'm sorry to hear of the return of your pain. It sounds as though you could be having a flare in your symptoms at the 10mg dose - did the pain return shortly after reducing to 10?

If you are someone whose blood test markers have been raised with PMR then it would be a good idea to get the ESR and CRP blood tests repeated - if the markers are raised then you can assume it is a flare which can be quite common in the first year to 18 months. Other than that, you could try increasing back up to the dose at which you were comfortable for a while. If it is inflammation from PMR then the painkillers will not work as well as the steroids to reduce that inflammation.

Do hope that helps but do come back as I'm sure others will be along to help from their experiences.

MrsO

Hi Nannybut and welcome!

Yes - MrsO is probably right - the 10mg dose is probably not quite enough to deal with your level of disease at present. Painkillers are pretty ineffective if the pain is due to PMR and a slightly higher dose of pred, the last at which you were comfortable, is probably the answer. You can have a flare for two reasons: either the disease gets a bit more active or it comes back because you have reduced to a dose that is not quite enough to control the inflammation. It doesn't mean that you won't get down to a lower dose later on - it could well just be a blip. I find my symptoms are worse with certain sorts of weather.

As MrsO asked - did it come back soon after the least reduction or shortly after starting a new batch of pred tablets?

The other option is that you have hurt that shoulder - is the pain just on one side or both (both would suggest it is the PMR rather than an injury)? Did you have shoulder pain like this originally? I had bursitis in hips and finger joints but my shoulders were just stiff. I also have pins and needles at times and that is something similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but a different nerve being pinched, probably by the swelling caused by the inflammation in PMR which is the basic problem.

Eileen

Hi Nanny Pat

I have had probelms with lack of grip I have broken so many cups glasses etc in the last few years !!

I also very easily get pulled muscles I pulled a muscle at the back of my knee and it took 18 months to come right I always find if I do too much involving upper arms they ache I have now taken up a gentle exercise class and Nordic walking and this is fine as it is a very smooth motion and seems to have improved my upper arm strength

Thanks everyone for your replys will go and get another blood test done trouble is we have just moved here so have been once for blood tests etc and still waiting on results (tiny village)but will up steroids and see if this helps, i hope i get a better nights sleep tonight was up 5 times last night anywayTHANKS again.Happy Bonfire Night xx :D

Hallo nannyb

You say you've just moved. Second most stressful time ( or is it third? ) Maybe it could account for some of the increased pain.

I suffered when we were just [i:9038c02acf]thinking [/i:9038c02acf]of moving and that was after I'd been symptom and drug free for 5 years.

Hope you feel better soon and get a decent sleep.

Now she tells us! :lol:

Two aspects there: the stress of moving (after 5 years being reasonably stable although not treated my PMR went haywire a month after moving house about 1 mile) and just THINK of the extra physical things you were doing! No wonder you have a sore shoulder - if there was any bursitis hovering around just below the surface the packing (if you did it rather than the removal men) and unpacking (which they never do) and putting things away could have stirred up all sorts of nasties. And that is probably what has happened - the co-codamol aren't anti-inflammatories so won't have done much to help in that respect - and there is enough swelling around the shoulder area to irritate the nerve supplying your hand leading to the pins and needles.

Hope your new GP is on top of things (if not, you can educate them, take along the guidelines and stuff) and you feel better soon

Eileen