Not sure if this is pmr returning .
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Hi, finished taking steroids in June,but ongoing with MTX 25 mg a week until I see my consultant in December. I have suffered with shingles for the last 3 weeks I was told to leave the mtx of until spots dry up which I did, then on the 4th week went back on mtx which I take on a Monday by Wednesday stiff neck, shoulders, hips, painful seems to keep me a wake during the night especially when I try to turn over it seems I have a weight round my neck also try to get in a comfortable position in bed, I get up and sleep in armchair sitting up position could this be a flare up with pmr .
0 likes, 9 replies
maid_mariane greenwood11
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greenwood11 maid_mariane
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Silver49 greenwood11
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I have a friend who was on prednisolone for 15years. She was only off for a few months when it returned. It sounds like it has come back and you need pred again. It must be hard after getting off steroids. Would 15mgs be the correct dosage to start? That's often the starting dose. I started on 20 and fairly quickly dropped to 15. I hope you have some relief soon.
lilian05079 greenwood11
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I stopped Preds 6 months ago it took 10 months to a year to taper off them. I was 9n them for a year for PMR. When i came off them i suffered with withdrawal symptoms such as high emotions, shakes generally not feeling good and had the most horrendous bone pain all over my body...however my rheumy wanted me to go back on preds but i refused after the hard work of tapering off them.....i rode it out and the pain continued... it got easier as time went on with the help of exercise for the stiffness and tramadol for the pain both of which helped......to date i only have pain in the top of my arms and right shoulder ...my rheumy ordered an ultrasound for my tendons and ligaments in shoulders.... my muscles are fine and had xrays on my shoulders and arm bones were fine.....so just waiting for the scan. I would say to you try and ride it out......my pain got easier perhaps yours will too as time goes on.....but i was determined not to go back on preds.....recently my doc has prescribed votarol pain-ease emugel for my arms and shoulders...it a godsend and it eases the pain for a long time after application...i use it to go to bed to ease the pain and get some sleep......best wishes.....
EileenH lilian05079
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If Voltaren gel helps I would be very suspicious that whatever it is, it isn't PMR. Ordianry painkillers very very rarely help PMR pain - however you use them.
Dirk_St._Clare greenwood11
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Hi A friend of mine started 50 mg in 2010 he has tapered it down to 1mg. a day if he stops taking the 1mg he his in pain. He been on 1 mg a few years, keeps trying to come off it but can't with out pain, he is in his 50's and still working. Good luck with it.
on a another note has anybody experience pain and swelling in their breast I am a man of 70 years young taking pred 6mg a day been to the hospital had a mammogram found nothing (NO CANCER) this is only on one side my left. Has anyone experience this before on a man.
EileenH greenwood11
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It could well be - you wouldn't be the first person to stop pred and then the symptoms return within a couple of months. The methotrexate won't stop the PMR, only pred does that, and I can't see a lot of point in staying on mtx for months having stopped the pred, after all, it only potentiates the effect of the pred, it doesn't replace it. And the shingles won't have helped.
greenwood11 EileenH
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I do agree with what you have said about mtx but saw rhymi in June when I finished steroids and he said keep taking mtx until I see him in December really don't know the reason for this.
EileenH greenwood11
Posted