Posted , 14 users are following.
Fist dosage of prednisone at 15 mg relieved symptoms completely. One year later, they diagnosed GCA (without biopsy by recomendation by of vascular surgeon because it was too late). The dosage was increased to 40. While reducing the prednisone, rheumatologist gave me hydroxychloroquine
(Note: I’ve lost 15 lbs in 4 months due to this drug. Makes me feel slightly nauseous all the time.)
After 3 months l have developed severe pain in shoulders & hips, upper arms and thighs - particularly inside thigh muscles.
My SED rate yesterday was 12. Now my doc says i have osteoarthritis. I’m only 62! Are these new aches and pains the result of the decreased prednisone? Maybe the prednisone suppressed the inflammation & pain & and now I’m feeling it? Anyone been in a similar situation?
1 like, 9 replies
Poupe linnea_kehlet
Posted
linnea_kehlet Poupe
Posted
constance.de linnea_kehlet
Posted
Sorry you are going through such a tough time. I have PMR and Polyarthritis so I know how much you are suffering and I feel for you. A lot of the pain you mentioned can be PMR but it is sometimes difficult to tell OA and PMR appart. Try upping your pred for a few days and see if things improve.
Sometimes it’s better to ‘talk’ to someone on here rather than asking the doctor. So many of them have very little knowledge of how people are suffering.
Kindest regards from Constance.
EileenH linnea_kehlet
Posted
On what grounds does your doctor say you have OA? Does he have x-ray or other imaging evidence? I was told in the early days of PMR that I had OA - "I can feel it" she said having wiggled my hands. All the so-called OA symptoms (tenosynovitis in fact, part of PMR) went on pred and have never returned and no other doctor has ever suggested OA>
What you are describing sounds far more like a return of the PMR symptoms because you have reduced the pred dose. On pred and hydroxychloroquine you might well not develop the acture phase response (as it is called0 that results in the ESR going up and some people don't do so in a flare.
What pred dose ar eyou on?
linnea_kehlet EileenH
Posted
Hi Eileen. I was down to 3mg when the shoulder, hip and muscle pain started. My internist ordered x-rays of my shoulders. She and the radiologist agreed on the osteoarthritis diagnosis. My rheumatologist retired and I haven't been assigned a new one yet. I'm going to take 10 mg today to see if it helps, then maybe I'll know if it's a return of the PMR. Maybe I do have osteoarthritis in my shoulders, but maybe it hasn't progressed enough to cause this significant pain I am experiencing.
EileenH linnea_kehlet
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linnea_kehlet EileenH
Posted
I am waiting for my insurance to assign me a new rheumatologist - I may have to wait 2 months! The pain in both my shoulders is unbelievable. Since the 10 mg prednosone isn't doing anything for it - who knows if i would have PMR and GCA symptoms if i weren't taking it. This very frustrating.
EileenH linnea_kehlet
Posted
Wouldn't do to have GCA then would it!!!! You'd run the risk of being blind long before you saw them!
linnea_kehlet
Posted
I know! I'm really self medicating due to the absence of a doctor's advice. Maybe I'll try the "I could go blind" liability threat to get their attention.
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