Prednisolone and Beetroot Juice

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi I'm 61, and was diagnosed with PMR in early April.I started taking Prednisolone at 20mg but I'm now down to 10mg . What I'd like to know is it safe to drink a daily dose of beetroot juice. The reason I want to take beetroot juice is for its anti-inflammatory propetorites.

Are any other sufferers taking it and finding it helps,also how much is a safe dose ?

 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    Beetroot is fine. The only trouble I find with the juice is that if I buy it, they seem to put an awful lot of apple juice in it. I tend to eat whole beetroot nowadays. I suppose I could juice it myself of course! It is also supposed to keep your blood pressure down, as raised blood pressure can be a problem with pred.
    • Posted

      Hi ptoolemy

      Many thanks for your reply.When you drink the juice how much do you have, the reason I ask is that I've heard that too much can cause kidney stones.I was planning on trying organic juice.

    • Posted

      I suppose I had a small glass about 12.5cl. As I said the main bulk was apple juice so now I just have beetroot which my brother grows in his allotment. Goodness knows why as he does not like beetroot! 
  • Posted

    Hi Mick

    I have a question for you. May I ask how were you diagnosed? Did you have pain?

    I am 37 years old and beacuse of my age none of the doctors that I went to take my case seriously.

    But I am in pain and scared.

    I suffer from weird headache. It's been 8 or 9 years that I'm dealing with the left side pain. The pain is begin from the behind of my left shoulder and goes up to my left side of the neck, then to my upper left side of teeth, then into inner left ear, then to my left eye and eyebrow, the to my left side of the scalp. The pain is like burning, stabbing and itching. I have to grab on hold on my hair in the left side that I might get some pain relive. Sometimes the pain relives and then it goes down to my arm, hand and left leg. It's like electricity that goes up and down. I try to pressure on the point in my left shoulder and I can feel the pain that rediates from there everywhere to my left side.

    For example when press hard and tris to massage that point I can feel the pain in my left eye and in the left side of my face.

    This is scaring me beacuse I don't know if it's A Nerve pain or Vascular problem.

    Like you I've done many researching on line with the pain I have it showed Gaint Cell Arteries that is very serious problem.

    But only happens to elderly and it's rare in younger adult.

    Since I am 37 years old my GP was not agreeing to do the tests but I pushed him for blood tests that are for this condition. Which were inflametory blood tests. Such as C-Reseptive, ESR, ANA, Lupus and Ciliac decease. All came back normal but I still have this pain that keeps me worrying .

    Specially when it radiates to my eye it makes think what if I go blind.

    Do you have any idea that what it could be?

    Thank you

    • Posted

      Hi Kate

      Sorry to read about the problems your having, have you tried getting a second opinion ?

      My problems started about 12 months ago, I've been a regular runner for about 30 yrs and about this time last year noticed after I'd been for a run I started getting severe cramp in my lower back and upper legs, so much so that if I sat for a long period I had problems getting up and walking.

      Then just after last Christmas things got worse with the pain moving to my lower neck and right shoulder,hips and shins, I couldn't sleep.

      After several visits to my G.P and having blood tests taken ,I was referred to my local hospitals rheumatoid dept.

      The consultant I'm seeing did some more blood and urine tests and confirmed Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I started taking 20mg of  Prednisolone which was gradually reduced over the next few months and I'm now down to 10mg.

      I still ache mainly first thing in a morning but it's manageable and wears off as the day goes on.

      Back to you hopefully you'll get a diagnosis of what you've got and I hope you start feeling better soon 

      Mick

       

    • Posted

      Did all your pain vanish when you started pred, and just gradually return as you lowered your dose?

      I find a cup of ginger tea every evening is very helpful.  I pour boiling water over about a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger and let it steep until it is a comfortable temperature to drink (about 15 minutes).  It's good for the digestion, and is in the same family as turmeric and also has good anti-inflammatory properties.  

    • Posted

      Hi, Kate- Your pain sounds horrible, and frightening because you don't know what is causing it and what it could lead to.

      To me, it does not sound like PMR which usually occurs on both sides of the body.  Severe PMR pain occurs when moving- rolling over in bed, raising your arms to the side, lifting your legs, etc.  I have not heard people on this forum describe pain like yours, shooting around and having a point from which it radiates when pressed.

      Have you seen a neurologist? I am not a doctor but your description sounds like a pinched nerve or neuralgia.  

      The only real test for PMR is a trial dose of prednisone (a steroid, like cortisone)-.  If it is PMR, the pain goes away very promptly, within a few days, often in a day. 

      I'm sorry I can't help, but I encourage you to see another doctor.  You are able to give a clear description which a knowledgable person should recognize.  Best of luck.

    • Posted

      Kate, neuralgia is also a disease that usually afflicts older people, but it can and does occur in people under 40.  I used to get sharp stabbing pains in the side of my head when I was relatively young, younger than you.  Eventually they went away by themselves so I don't know if it was true neuralgia, but I sure do understand the pain involved.

      https://patient.info/health/trigeminal-neuralgia-leaflet

    • Posted

      Hi Anhaga

      Yes my pain vanished about 6 hours after starting on pred at 20mg,it started to return when I got down to 12.5mg but was managable and wore off as the day went on. I`m now on 10mg and for the first few weeks had to take Paracetamol to suppress the pain,I`ve been taking 10mg for just over a month and the pain comes and goes depending on how busy/active I`ve been.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.