1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

How to address PMR pain while decreasing prednisone

Posted by barbararene @barbararene, Feb 13, 2017

I have been diagnosed w poly myalgia rheumatica (pmr). Am taking 5 mg of predisone, was taking 10mg.
Every time I go on a low dose, symptoms come back. I can't take pain meds, but do drink wine to ease pain, although I'm told no alcohol w prednisone. Anything you can share as far as info

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

kimh | @kimh | Feb 5, 2021
In reply to @dmsbronch "Hello! I am not Glendal, but saw your reply with great interest. I have been on..." + (show)
@dmsbronch

Hello! I am not Glendal, but saw your reply with great interest. I have been on step-down with Prednisone for 2-1/2 yrs and my rheumatologist never suggested Risedronate. I am in my mid 60's and osteopenia is on my. medical chart. Sadly, I fell in October and had a nasty break to my wrist. I was then told that I should consider going on Fosamax. Now I'm wondering if I should have been on something all along. I will certainly ask about this Risedronate at my next visit.

Jump to this post

Good morning! You may also want to ask about Prolia. It's an injection that you get twice yearly. I am waiting to go in for a bone density test to see if it is helping with my osteoporosis. After taking Prolia for a year, my last BD test showed no further loss than the year before! Maybe this year, I will show improvement???

REPLY
Erika | @erikas | Feb 7, 2021
In reply to @glendal "I am a recent PMR candidate. I am on a 20mg daily dosage. My recent problem..." + (show)
@glendal

I am a recent PMR candidate. I am on a 20mg daily dosage. My recent problem is stiffness and rigidity, no pain or sleepless nights. Some days are better than others but after prednisone/Risedronate (35mg) my whole body is tight. Is this normal? What can I do? Some days I can't get out of a chair. I cannot walk without a walker.

Jump to this post

@glendal I'm sorry to hear about stiffness and lack of mobility days. Have you noticed if anything helps improve your bad days? Like a heating pad, a nap, the food you eat. the outside temperature, etc.?

REPLY
2 replies
ncgal | @ncgal | Feb 7, 2021

I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday and so far no symptoms, not even a sore arm. However, it got me thinking. Do any of you remember the exact time your first symptoms appeared? Was there a certain "catalyst" that started the symptoms? My theory, and it is just mine, is that my body was so overloaded with medications that one more took it over the top. For example, I had just finished my breast cancer chemo treatments after a full year. Got to ring the bell in December. In January I decided to have a colonoscopy as it had been 2 years since my last one. Discovered I had diverticulitis, so was put on Cepro for 7 days. Four days into Cepro I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I think my body said "Whoa" enough is enough. It took 3 months to get a PMR diagnosis after seeing 5 different doctors. Apparently not even the doctors know what causes PMR, but my thoughts, for myself, is that too many drugs in your body throws your whole system off. Just my opinion, but am wondering if anyone else knows the exact time their symptoms started .

REPLY
2 replies
kimh | @kimh | Feb 7, 2021
In reply to @ncgal "I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday and so far no symptoms, not even a sore..." + (show)
@ncgal

I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday and so far no symptoms, not even a sore arm. However, it got me thinking. Do any of you remember the exact time your first symptoms appeared? Was there a certain "catalyst" that started the symptoms? My theory, and it is just mine, is that my body was so overloaded with medications that one more took it over the top. For example, I had just finished my breast cancer chemo treatments after a full year. Got to ring the bell in December. In January I decided to have a colonoscopy as it had been 2 years since my last one. Discovered I had diverticulitis, so was put on Cepro for 7 days. Four days into Cepro I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I think my body said "Whoa" enough is enough. It took 3 months to get a PMR diagnosis after seeing 5 different doctors. Apparently not even the doctors know what causes PMR, but my thoughts, for myself, is that too many drugs in your body throws your whole system off. Just my opinion, but am wondering if anyone else knows the exact time their symptoms started .

Jump to this post

Congrats on getting vaccinated! You bring up a very interesting point. My PMR symptoms started (and I was diagnosed) while being treated for MP (Mesenteric Panniculitis) which is 3 months on 40 mg. of Prednisone and a three month taper down program. I ended up suffering terribly from esophageal spasms at that time as well. Maybe the dosage and length of time on prednisone, while helping with one disease, caused a new health problem???

REPLY
roberta125 | @roberta125 | Feb 7, 2021
In reply to @ncgal "I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday and so far no symptoms, not even a sore..." + (show)
@ncgal

I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday and so far no symptoms, not even a sore arm. However, it got me thinking. Do any of you remember the exact time your first symptoms appeared? Was there a certain "catalyst" that started the symptoms? My theory, and it is just mine, is that my body was so overloaded with medications that one more took it over the top. For example, I had just finished my breast cancer chemo treatments after a full year. Got to ring the bell in December. In January I decided to have a colonoscopy as it had been 2 years since my last one. Discovered I had diverticulitis, so was put on Cepro for 7 days. Four days into Cepro I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I think my body said "Whoa" enough is enough. It took 3 months to get a PMR diagnosis after seeing 5 different doctors. Apparently not even the doctors know what causes PMR, but my thoughts, for myself, is that too many drugs in your body throws your whole system off. Just my opinion, but am wondering if anyone else knows the exact time their symptoms started .

Jump to this post

Have had PMR for 5 years. Believe it started after taking Cipro. Have read that others feel their PMR also started after taking Cipro. Was not taking any other medications

REPLY
smugs59 | @smugs59 | Feb 9, 2021
In reply to @erikas "@glendal I'm sorry to hear about stiffness and lack of mobility days. Have you noticed if..." + (show)
@erikas

@glendal I'm sorry to hear about stiffness and lack of mobility days. Have you noticed if anything helps improve your bad days? Like a heating pad, a nap, the food you eat. the outside temperature, etc.?

Jump to this post

I experience the awful stiffness - no pain or lack of sleep. Some days are worse than others but it’s always there. I just have to pace myself with small activities. I do find ibuprofen helps sometimes.

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Feb 9, 2021
In reply to @smugs59 "I experience the awful stiffness - no pain or lack of sleep. Some days are worse..." + (show)
@smugs59

I experience the awful stiffness - no pain or lack of sleep. Some days are worse than others but it’s always there. I just have to pace myself with small activities. I do find ibuprofen helps sometimes.

Jump to this post

Hi @smugs59, Welcome to Connect. The pain and stiffness can be really bad at times. You are wise to pace yourself and take it easy. Have you been diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)?

REPLY
glendal | @glendal | Feb 10, 2021
In reply to @dmsbronch "Hello! I am not Glendal, but saw your reply with great interest. I have been on..." + (show)
@dmsbronch

Hello! I am not Glendal, but saw your reply with great interest. I have been on step-down with Prednisone for 2-1/2 yrs and my rheumatologist never suggested Risedronate. I am in my mid 60's and osteopenia is on my. medical chart. Sadly, I fell in October and had a nasty break to my wrist. I was then told that I should consider going on Fosamax. Now I'm wondering if I should have been on something all along. I will certainly ask about this Risedronate at my next visit.

Jump to this post

Thank you all for your kind words, interest and wisdom. I have osteo, mild to severe in my spine. I think probably this is the main reason for Risedronate. I will look into Fosamax. All my tests come back negative incl. 2 MRI's (brain and spine) CT scan, lots of blood work. The diagnosis of PMR is only a best guess I seem to have all the systems found here. I am working with my GP, the hospital with a Neurologist. It is almost impossible at the moment to get a Rheumatologist. The last referral, I waited 2 months and was told she was too busy. The prednisone really works on the pain (it is terrible without it) but the rigidity I feel after I take the medication is questionable. There is a respectful website that indicates this may be drug induced primal myopia. I have an EMG on March 2 which will hopefully confirm what I a suffering.

REPLY
munchie | @munchie | Feb 10, 2021

it would seem that we all have multiple symptoms in common..though i lack pain and stiffness on 20mg of prednisone i suffer from sever fatigue..anyone else?

REPLY
1 reply
bunkysmum78 | @bunkysmum78 | Feb 10, 2021
In reply to @munchie "it would seem that we all have multiple symptoms in common..though i lack pain and stiffness..." + (show)
@munchie

it would seem that we all have multiple symptoms in common..though i lack pain and stiffness on 20mg of prednisone i suffer from sever fatigue..anyone else?

Jump to this post

I did not know the meaning of fatigue until I got PMR. Not sure if fatigue=
is caused by the PMR or the prednisone or a combination of both.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.