PMR and pain killers
Posted , 6 users are following.
Am I unusual or do pain killers sometimes help with PMR? I know the experts say they don't, but they seem to help me! I am on 6mgs, with the usual arm/shoulder/wrist pains (legs and hips much better). I have started taking co-codamol, one in the morning and one in the evening and they HELP. I suppose some of the pain could be wear and tear (I am 75). How do others fare?
1 like, 10 replies
audrey25251 constance.de
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EileenH constance.de
Posted
Most people find it doesn't help the PMR related stiffness at all doesn't do much for sore sore muscles. There are often other things going on alongside it - maybe the pain killers do something there. It is possible that using painkillers regularly, taking the full dose every day might help - but ibuprofen should not be used like that and one lady developed liver problems using paracetamol like that on the instructions of her GP. Which induced panic on his part!
Like a lot of other people, I can't take co-codamol, the codeine just doesn't suit me. I have enough going on without getting constipated! Do be careful using it long term, even at lower doses and don't take anything else containing paracetamol.
You might find this interesting and helpful:
https://patient.info/medicine/co-codamol-for-pain-relief
constance.de EileenH
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Sheilamac_Fife constance.de
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I am puzzled. I am at an earlier stage than you. Started 15mg Pred in July and have reduced to 12mg last month. Tried to get to 11mg but some pain crept back in hip and beck became crunchy stiff again, so am staying at 12mg for this month. No pain. This sort of pattern is my plan. Trying to let the Prednisilone enable me to be painfree. Then I see yourself and others still suffering pain and reducing much lower than me and accepting it. Do I have this to come? Have I misunderstood? I do know that we are all different and this condition varies from person to person but I thought the point of Prednisilone was to reduce the inflammation and thus the pain.
Sheila
constance.de Sheilamac_Fife
Posted
Keep reading this site - it will help tremendously. I was at my wits end when I found the site just over 3 months ago and I don't know what I would do without it now. There is always somemone to listen/advise, even to just chat to.
EileenH Sheilamac_Fife
Posted
It depends on how much inflammation there is to start with, how active the autoimmune part of the PMR is and how active you expect to be. All those will affect the amount of pred you need, never mind the fact that we all respond differntly to a given dose. I did fine down to 10mg - if I tried to get further, back came the pain. I have been lucky in having a doctor who is less bothered about the dose than the freedom from pain but others are not so lucky. By using a VERY slow reduction plan I finally managed to get to 4mg, at 3 pain returned.
Yes, the idea is to use pred as your "pain killer" by keeping the inflammation at a minimum but there are people who are no less in pain at, say,15mg than they are at 6mg. Being at 6mg is associated with far fewer side effects so is preferable. Some just have to accept it - some are very lucky.
Sheilamac_Fife EileenH
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Sheila
EileenH Sheilamac_Fife
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Dear lord - even if 2+ years were correct, the thought of that long without any help makes me cringe, having done it...
Sheilamac_Fife EileenH
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Sheilamac_Fife constance.de
Posted