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PMR, Prednisone, Tapering, Breast Pain

Posted , 6 users are following.

kathy67492
kathy67492

Has anyone experienced breast pain while tapering prednisone?

I am having Actemra infusions, I am on HRT and have tapered down to 5m when the breast pain occurred.  Thanks!

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • MarLou
    MarLou kathy67492

    Posted

    Yes. It is listed as a side effect of tapering.  
    • MarLou
      MarLou kathy67492

      Posted

       Right off I cannot give you the specific site where I saw that but I experienced breast pain when I was tapering and I did read it as side effect on the list. 
    • kathy67492
      kathy67492 MarLou

      Posted

      Thanks, I will try and find it! Appreciate your input.
  • mjhollywood
    mjhollywood kathy67492

    Posted

    HI  I am 53. Years old ..4 months with Pmr at 10mg. And going to go on actemra.   In two weeks.  How old are you. ?  And long have been on 5 mg !!  Maryjean. 
  • mjhollywood
    mjhollywood kathy67492

    Posted

    Your the first person that have talk about  acterma.   I have been trying to reach out to people under 55 that are still working($$) and. Working out.  I was a kick boxer.  And spinner.  Now just doing.  Yoga and spinning. My Pmr. Is only in my gluttes front and back.   Can't walk in morning. Unless I take my (crack). Pred!!!!! Them after 2 to 3 hr. At work 9 hrs on my feet maybe sitting a 2 hrs all day. Travel. A lot work fior airline.  So always moving.  Now no meat  bread.   Try with no sugar.   I can't give the wine up

    Yet.    Do I have to with acterma ?? Thus is so new   To me.  Love all you help comments mj

    • kathy67492
      kathy67492 mjhollywood

      Posted

      i am 70. Have had PMR For 3-1/2 years. Have been on Actemra infusions for 4 months...great!...but having breast pain, left breast only. Have tapered prednisone from 8m to 5m. Also take biological hrt for about 20 years! So much going on with the breast pain. Will have mammo, ultra sound tomorrow.
    • mjhollywood
      mjhollywood kathy67492

      Posted

      Thx for the replay. What are biological hrt?? Since I have had Pmr for about 4 months can't wait to get off the pred by using the actemra shots.   Which get sent to my house.   (Scary) doing it my self !!! It's crazy I live in fla and the heat kills me. But the doc so no diffent in cold place !!!

    • kathy67492
      kathy67492 mjhollywood

      Posted

      Biological hrt are hormones compounded at a pharmacy with "natural ingredients" not horse urine (Premarin)...very controversial, but it is a matter of experience and opinion. I play tennis, golf, yoga. The Actemra has really worked for the PMR pain immediately after the first infusion, but still have some fatigue. That's good you are getting the injectibles...will hope to have my pharmacy insurance cover the injectibles for me starting in January...? Have to do the infusions now because that is what my insurance will pay....very expensive drug either way. I hope this breast pain I have is from tapering the prednisone and not from the Actemra...and certainly Not from cancer! Good luck to you!

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH mjhollywood

      Posted

      You won't find very many people on Actemra on the forums. It has only recently been approved for GCA and while being used a bit in the USA, it is rarely available in the UK for cost reasons though there are a few patients for whom it has been approved. While there are quite a few USA members here this site is based in the UK and so most people are British.

    • mjhollywood
      mjhollywood EileenH

      Posted

      Thx Eileen.    I was wondering.  Why I have only heard one person mention it!! I will give my self shots in 2 weeks I was trying to ask

      Around.  Will I able to work !!! And what it was like for them. !! Thx for answering mj

    • EileenH
      EileenH mjhollywood

      Posted

      If you want much info about Actemra there are several PMR/GCA patients on the HealthUnlocked forum on it. Or an RA forum will have people using it.
  • Dirk_St._Clare
    Dirk_St._Clare kathy67492

    Posted

    Hi,  I have been taking pred. for the last 2 years cut down from 15mg to 6mg can't get below 6mg I am now experiencing breast pain as being a man of 70 years and just had a mamo. I now know what you ladies go through it's painful they found its breast tissue and told me to use ibuprofenain relief gel but not doing any good at the moment will finish the tube if no better will go back to doctor, not sure if related to tapering pred.

    I would be interested in other people experiences.

  • Mrs_CJ
    Mrs_CJ kathy67492

    Posted

    Hi Kathy

    just a thought......Eileen has often mentioned myofascial muscle pain. I've suspected that I have this occasionally. One of the locations is in the back kind of at bra strap level. Sometimes I suffer from this pain and the pain wraps around the front of my body towards my breast (always on the right side). If I actually focus on the area the pain isn't so much my breast but it's the area just under and to the side of my breast. For me it takes several days to subside but it's quite painful each time. I have no idea what causes it.  I just ride it out each time. 

    I have had PMR for about 5 years and am on 3 mg of prednisone. 

    • EileenH
      EileenH Mrs_CJ

      Posted

      If the trigger points about rib level have formed they can irritate the nerve supply around the ribs which obviously is also close to your breasts - it is called referred pain.
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