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On Prednisone have you had muscle weakness in one leg?

Posted , 11 users are following.

leonard12916
leonard12916

The last 2 months I've had tightness in my left buttock while on Prednisone.  For the first while I could walk if off but for the last month it is constantly there but only when I walk, and sometimes shifts to the left leg's inner thigh, the result being I find I'm sort of limping.  Has anyone had something like this?  It could be a disc in the lower back pressing on a nerve affecting the muscles in the buttock and thigh, or maybe it's just muscle weakness resulting from the Prednisone.  I'm in a quandry how to tackle it, see a physio, chiro, massage therapist.   I've found that since I've had PMR 2 years ago anyone working with their hands on me greatly aggravates things so I'm unsure where to turn.  Any suggestions?

0 likes, 26 replies

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  • Mrs.Mac-Canada
    Mrs.Mac-Canada leonard12916

    Posted

    Hi Leonard,

    i find my buttocks to be my tell tale site for how my PMR is doing.  

    How have your reductions been going?  Maybe you need to take it slower or stay where you are abut longer.  

    Have  you ever tried Bowen Therapy?  There is a Canadian site that gives you registered therapists. Sorry can't give you the link but you can google it.

    Others will be along to give you their more expert advice.

    i hope you get an answer soon.

    Diana🌸

  • lodgerUK_NE
    lodgerUK_NE leonard12916

    Posted

    Leonard,

    I would recommend Bowen Therapy.

    It is the most gentle treatment I have ever had in my whole like.

    It got me walking again, without the use of zimmer frame and walking stick.

    Are you inthe UK, if so where?

    • leonard12916
      leonard12916 lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      I'm in B.C., Canada.  Looks like I need to try the Bowen Therapy.  Do you think much of the issue here is to do with muscles being weakened from Prednisone.  I suspect as well the dose plays a huge role here.  I recently saw an endocrinologist who suggested I switch from Pred to Cortizone as he has had success reducing the dose by doing this.  He claims once its ingested the body processes and it works much like Pred.  Maybe I've reduced its dose too fast.  I'll appreciate your comment here greatly and any others as it's so hard to understand what creates this issue and to whom to turn for assistance.
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy leonard12916

      Posted

      Cortisone and pred are both steroids. It is just that pred has a double bond in the chemical structure. Does plain cortisone make any difference do you think?
  • patricia59727
    patricia59727 leonard12916

    Posted

    Hi Leonard I have had the same tightening behind my Knees and Calves the whole time 1year and 3 months on Prednisone, Especially when walking, Tried everything but nothing takes it away, But its not as bad as the PMR Pain.
    • leonard12916
      leonard12916 lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      Patricia, have you tried Bowen Therapy?  I googled it awhile back and watched some Youtube videos and it's certainly a different approach.  Do you much of these problems are related to muscles being weakened by the Prednisone?  I never had issues like this before.
  • pauline36422
    pauline36422 leonard12916

    Posted

    i had the same but in both buttocks.    and it was the  last thing to go after 3  years on  pred.  it does come back a liitle   when i try to reduce.. i feel it mainly when i sit on hard surfases.  but  think it will go in time.      i am   just   copeing with  shoulder blade pain but i am sure its with  reaching  and  trying to tighten   my washing line    ,  so out  comes the  paracetamol   for a couple of days   till the pain goes . and i am sure it will

     

    • leonard12916
      leonard12916 pauline36422

      Posted

      Pauline, is Paracetamol something like Tylenol, basically a pain reliever.  I've seen a few people comment on how buttock discomfort may be related to their rate of reduction of their dosage; it's like Prednisone is totally unforgiving if one drops too fast!  Do you believe it creates muscle weakness?
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy leonard12916

      Posted

      Tylenol is the US equivalent of Paracetamol. Lots of people from the UK go to the US and panic because Paracetamol does not exist! 

      Muscle weakness is supposed to be a side effect of pred. I certainly have lost strength since taking it. 

  • pauline36422
    pauline36422 leonard12916

    Posted

    leanard   paracetamol   is  just a pain relife   dont  know  about the one you mentioned
  • LayneTX
    LayneTX leonard12916

    Posted

    My PMR experience was to 8 different areas, could be bursa's, could be connective tissues, not sure. I could not bend over which uses my hamstrings, they felt like someone had tied a knot in them and my hip flexors and my groins (inner thigh), and deltoids/rotator cuffs.

    I now know it's under the butt bone, and like others, sitting, even on cushions, is very irritating. Sometimes I'm relieved by a pillow under hamstrings and NOT my butt bones.

    i was unable to squat down for months until I went to physical therapy and they strengthened my gluteus muscles and proper body technique for using muscles, I SO happy.  So, I personally think exercise is a good thing. Yes, my muscles in legs have atrophied quite a lot.  I do arm weights for muscles in arms as to not let them atrophy too much.  Some here seem to disagree with doing exercise. Though I still struggle with my hip flexors, all others areas are better from my exercises. 

    My back is still ongoing, pain on spine in 3 spots. Ugh. 

     

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE LayneTX

      Posted

      Layne

       We don't disagree with exercise.

      We recommend gentle exercise and walking - even if it is just starting out with 10 minutes each way and further each day.  We also provide exercises devised for PMR patients.

      We also recommend that if you are doing any exercise, ensure that the intructors know you have PMR and/or GCA and that they know about it.   Aqua, Tai Chi, Nordic Walking all excellent. We also remember that the old adage 'there is no gain without pain' is not a helpful saying with auto-immune illnesses.

  • EileenH
    EileenH leonard12916

    Posted

    Or it could be that muscles are tight and compressing the nerves and causing sciatic problems - it isn't just due to disc problems, it is very often muscular. But I wouldn't blame the pred, I'd blame the PMR and its effect on your muscles.
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