Prednisolone Success but now have Leg Pain

Hi all, I am so glad that I have found this forum!

So firstly, let me introduce myself.

I am a (young looking) 60 year old woman who up untill recently had been leading a very fit and healthy lifestye.

I had been experiencing the odd niggling aches and pains in my muscles and joints for over 18 months, but did not think too much of it as I just thought it was the 'getting older' process that happens to everyone. But in September of last year the pain and stiffness got alot worse and seemed to attack my entire body with vengeance. The pain became unbearable and very debhilitating. I was sometimes so bad I could hardly move at all, and I felt that I had aged 20 years in a matter of weeks.

I eventually got my diagnosis of PMR early in November, having baffled doctors and physios' throughout the month of October with what on earth could be wrong with me.

Once diagnosed, my doctor imediately proscribed a daily 20mg dose of Prednisolone.

Within 24hrs of my first dose my pain went away completely and I felt on top of the world and more my normal self, I felt better than I had felt for years. This drug was a miracle!

After two weeks of being blissfully pain free and feeling remarkably well, my doctor dropped my dose to 15mg. I was still ok, fit and well apart from a slight niggling stiffness in one of my arms and in my neck on waking in the morning. These pains subsided after about half an hour, so I wasn't too bothered.

I told my doctor this and he said that was fine. I had my life back, and as a bonus I seemed to feel great on the steroids, with no side effects at all.

After two more weeks the doctor dropped my dose to 10mg a day (my present dosage) as it seemed I was doing so well.

However all has not been that good over the Christmas and new year period. Just before Christmas I developed pain and stiffness in my back which lasted for just a couple of days. It then went away so I wasn't that concerned, as I knew even on the steroid treatment I was to expect the odd ache and pain.

But sadly things have deteriated further, as for the past two weeks on getting out of bed n the morning I have the most excruciating pain shooting down one of my legs starting in the knee joint and stretching up to the buttock. The pain is so bad I can't put my weight on my leg at all for at least five to ten minutes. As I slowly and painfully get moving, the pain does subside and eventually it almost goes away completely during the day.

However, in periods of inactivity it comes back again, and the whole procedure starts up again, especially in the evenings.

It seems I have to be active and on my feet at all times to keep this pain away, which is not a bad thing I know. But this of course is not always possible.

I have not upped my Prednisolone doseage again so far, as I am waiting for my next doctors appointment to see what he suggests. I am now wondering if the pain is not actually PMR, and could be a side affect of the Prednisolone, as the type of pain I have is slightly different to what I was experiencing before.

Question is, should I wait for my doctors advice, or should I up my dose right now myself?

The pain is really excrutiating and hard to take, even for five to ten minutes. But I don't really want to mess with my doses.

Comments fellow PMR sufferers would be appreciated.

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