Polymyalgia

I think it is very possible that your doctor may be half-right - but I wonder if it is really myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome: spasmed muscles which are irritating the sciatic nerve and causing referred pain into your thigh. Which was aggravated by lifting the parcel.

If it is that it isn't very likely to get better entirely on its own. A good sports physiotherapist would be able to make a better diagnosis and possibly help. I see a physio here in Italy who does manual mobillisation of the spasmed muscles - but they aren't so orientated on such problems in the NHS, partly due to lack of time: teach the patient some exercises quickly and leave them to get on with it is more usual. I also get muscle relaxant injections locally when it is really bad - but oral muscle relaxants don't work, they are too general. 

I do find sitting with a hot water bottle on the place that hurts often helps, some people find icing helps. Movement rather than retreating to bed for a bad back is also better - but that muscle needs time to heal too. However - the new thigh pain does suggest it isn't improving so do discuss it with your GP.

How long were you on 15mg before you were knocked down to 12.5? I'm no expert on PMR and am still learning having not long joined the forum but at that level of steroid I'd expect you to feel a flare up firstly in your upper arms and then across your shoulders.  More details might help those with more expertise to advise you.

When I see first diagnosed with pmr, I started having pain in one side of buttox and in my groin.I went to the ER and they took an x-ray, said I was " low on analgesia" .The pain kept on increasing till couldn't walk even with two crutches.Finally, after insisting a lot, they did a sonogram, MRI and a cat scan.not sure which of the three tests were useless and a waste of money and which showed that I had two fractures in my pelvis.

I didn't have any trauma, falls etc., but did slide a heavy coffee table a few feet with the back of my legs.

At first I also thought that the pain was PMR related.

Hope you pain is not related to fractures and that I havent alarmed you. My spontaneous , insfuffiency fractures were due to Osteomalacia, as I had had my vit.D levels at single digits for years.

As Eileen suggested I too believe it is probably piriformis syndrome. It is a common problem with men because they wear their wallets in their back pocket and then sit on it. And having had that myself I can tell you that the pain is exactly where a wallet would sit even if you aren't using a wallet in your back pocket. I got almost instant relief from a trigger point injection in that spot. Now as far as the pain in your leg you didn't mention if it was on front or back of your thigh. If it is in the back it is probably radiating pain from your bottom however if it is in the front it is not likely to be radiating pain from your bottom. At least it isn't for me. I have a very bad lower back and for the last 8 weeks or so I've had a lot of pain in my left upper thigh. Having had X-rays and MRI nobody seems to know what is going on with it. I even had an injection in my lower back to try to help that pain and got no luck. So if you figure out what's going on with your right leg please share!

Hi Jenny

i agree with Eileen and Amkoffee, as I have the tight piroformus butt muscle which radiates pain down the leg, just as you describe. Can range from  moderate to severe, sometimes the pain goes across the groin and down the legs, but after trying many things, the only relief I  get is from my massage therapist. Having lower bulging back discs aggravates this somewhat, and walking like a lopsided duck 🦆 on a walking stick is the only way I get around. When extremely bad I may resort to a combination of paracetamol 500mg/codeine 15mg but it only takes the edge off. I’m still on 10mg pred (tapering down on the DSNS method) so I won’t take NSAIDS. Try this: push your knuckle deep into your butt cheek, just above your sit bone, move it around  a bit and press as hard as you can. If you feel a deep ache right on the “hurt” spot push harder and massage with the knuckle. You will feel the pain\ache but it should release a bit if you can push with your knuckle hard enough. It’s only temporary but it does help till you see a proper massage therapist.  I am quite small and bony so finding the spot that hurts is easy but pushing in with the knuckle when there is limited strength thanks to the severe PMR/GCA repercussions I still fight everyday makes it awkward. Also resistance band excercises and back stretching/strengthening excercises which only have to be very moderate, and yoga, may help on the days that you’re up to it. Trust me I don’t go flat out,  it I have severe osteoporosis as well so I do what I can when I can. 

I hope this helps you, and good luck on your journey against this disease we all share with you. This forum has been the blessing that helps me survive each new hiccup along the way. 💪

i have had a couple bouts of sore piriformis and your description sounds like my symptoms too. The second time I had this it too was from lifting something heavy (I really thought it was ok for me to lift....but unfortunately not).   The first time was caused by being on my hands and knees too long scrubbing a floor. 

I go to a physio person and she eventually gets the aching reduced....takes about 4 short sessions with her.  I don’t find that ice or heat work as the pain is too deep in my buttock. Another thing I find very useful is to google stretches for piriformis and you will see many options. Very gently try some of them to see if you get any relief. My physio person has given me several stretches to do daily to try to avoid future recurrences. 

Hope you recover soon!

Once the the piriformis is better I return to wherever I was with my pred.