Told its not pmr but osteoarthritis reducing pred.

Pred 15 mg cured ALL my aches and pains including those caused by OA. As that dose reduced the OA came back a bit. Now that I'm at a very low dose of pred I find other painkillers, like aspirin, help. This would make me suspect that PMR is in remission except that when I try to taper I get much worse, even hanging on for a while to see if it's just withdrawal. Having heard so very often that nothing works for PMR besides pred I'm at a bit of a loss. I do not take aspirin or acetaminophen on a regular basis, just if I have a headache. Inclined to believe that low dose pred is safer than other meds for long term regular use, but I don't really know.

I have PMR and am on 15mg of Pred. daily. in the fall of 2018 I developed hip pain in my left hip only which increased over time. I was already on a pain patch for chronic back pain and this did nothing for the hip pain. In March 2018 after having to insist that my Dr. do something he ordered an MRI. Prior to the MRI they request an X-ray. The X-Ray showed that I needed a new hip immediately. August 7, I had surgery and pain was gone.Did the pain clinic not recommend anything else to help. There are other anti-inflammatory drugs not as potent as Pred. but do help with arthritis. I know because I have been on them in the past. They can effect your liver so your Dr. has to do blood test re liver enzymes on a routine basis. I had to go off of them because my enzymes were elevated which showed that my liver was not dealing well with them. Funny though now I am saying this Pred. does not seem to elevate my liver enzymes?? Personally I have had to push the Drs. re pain control. They really have no idea what it is like to be in pain constantly and unable to do many things. They are so worried about you becomeing dependent on pain medication. I just said look I do not care if I am dependent on it. This back pain is not going away and it has to be worse than being dependent on any pain medication.I have already had back surgery for the Pain which was successful for 9 years., but then stenosis gradually returned. Whether or not you want stronger medication is up to you, but you may need it to help with the pain. I would do some research and then either see your Dr. or go back to the pain clinic. Best of luck, I know being in pain from osteoarthritis is not nice, I have two knee replacements and the one hip.

Why does it have to be one or the other? I have severe osteoarthritis in my shoulders, which is also where I experience PMR pain. The PMR was diagnosed by my symptoms, age and very elevated inflammation factors. The OA was diagnosed by x-ray. Both my rheumatologist and my surgeon accept that I have both conditions. The prednisone that I've taken for over 2 years had softened the bone, so that the condition was what my surgeon described as "beyond bone on bone." (No wonder it hurts!) In December, I had one shoulder joint replacement, which reduced the pain considerably. Blood work (presumably taken after sufficient time had elapsed) showed that I had very high inflammation, and my rheumatologist had me double my prednisone - from 5 mg to 10 mg. Waiting for the second shoulder replacement and a plan to lower the inflammation.