On Prednisone have you had muscle weakness in one leg?

Posted , 11 users are following.

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?

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  • Posted

    Yes.  But I cannot speak to cause and effect.  That is, I don't know what would happen if I stopped taking p/sone.  Would I still feel that one-sided discomfort?

    My rheumy keeps suggesting that some of my lingering symptoms are from osteoporosis, or something else other than PMR.  I think that is a cop-out.  The profession appears to have only one trick for this inexplicable ailment: Prednisone. I am down to 8mg but have one-sided discomfort.

    • Posted

      It amazes me what some doctors appear to think can be due to osteoporosis! And yes - very probably due to something other than PMR though also very likely something often found alongside PMR. 
    • Posted

      Eileen, 

      my Rheumy too is surprised I still have pain and stiffness (PMR 8 months, Pred 7.5 mg)... She thinks another auto immune going on.  You have said that before too, did or do you have that experience too? Another auto immune?  Or others here?  Like what?

      I got xray of thoracic spine and it shows some osteoarthritis.

      she put me on Hydroxychloriquine (Plaquinel). 

      Having edoscopy next week for my throat/mouth irritation.

      regards.

      Layne

    • Posted

      Sorry  I hit the wrong key and wanted to add to Bowen Therapy.

      I found out from a Chiropractor about 30 years ago that one leg was half an inch longer than t'other.  I then always had insole in that shoe and had no problems. 

    • Posted

      Pain and stiffness after 8 months of PMR and at 7.5mg pred is probably the PMR going on! That is an unlikely dose for that stage. PMR lasts years and the pred dose is related to the activity of the underlying autoimmune cause of PMR. If it is active - you'll need more than 7.5mg. The Bristol group recommended taking about 3-4 months to get to 10mg and then maintaining 10mg for a year before reducing further. 2.5mg in PMR is a massive difference and I'd lay odds you are on too low a dose for the stage of your illness.

      I don't have an identified other a/i illness - but I have myofascial pain syndrome and that has also appeared as piriformis syndrome. Both common alongside PMR. I deal with them with Bowen therapy - it removes a lot of the pain which doesn't respond to oral pred except at high doses. As lodger says, whether it is uneven legs or muscular problems you can get a lot of back pain from that and Bowen will often help. Or a chiropractor - but Bowen is gentler and unlikely to cause problems.

    • Posted

      "She thinks another auto immune going on.  You have said that before too, did or do you have that experience too? Another auto immune?"

      My guy says the same thing, but that isn't very helpful...

    • Posted

      "I found out from a Chiropractor about 30 years ago that one leg was half an inch longer than t'other."

      If you write "the other" instead of "t'other," you may find that both legs are the same length.  The width of those two letters may make the difference.

  • Posted

    Hi. I have been suffering with PMR for nearly two years now and buttock pain was the worst of all even on 15mgs of pred. I also have other conditions, including Spinal Stenosis. I recently had a permanent implant (a spinal cord stimulator) fitted. When this is turned on (most of the time), my buttock pain disappears! Wasn't expecting that so a big bonus! My point is that,I think Eileen is right and the buttock pain could be caused by pressure on a nerve rather than muscle issues. I know we can't all have implants but knowing the cause of a pain helps to know what treatment to try. Hope this is of some help. Take care, Debbie.

     

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