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Newly diagnosed still having pain after three days of prednisone
Hello, I was first diagnosed by my Doctor 5 weeks ago (I’m in true UK) and started on 15mg of prednisone. The doctor said I should stop taking it after a week as I still had pain. I saw a private rheumatologist and he re-started the prednisone at 30mg prednisone 3 days ago, I have definite improvement but I still feel pain in my shoulders and stiffness in knees and hips. I heard of others miraculously having no symptoms after a couple of days. Can I have some advice as to what to expect please?
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Thank you for sharing your experience @megz. I definitely have much less pain, last week I couldn’t put a coat on or sit in a chair without supporting myself on my arms to lower myself and heave myself back up, now I can do both. I’m hoping time will continue to help
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1 Reaction@kjoed53 I have heard that one way to tell if you have PMR is if prednisone quickly solves the pain problem. I know in my case it was 6 hours to an unbelievable "cure". Did the prednisone have an effect on C - reactive protein and Sed Rate? Do you know what your C - reactive protein and sed rate are?
I too am newly diagnosed, after 7 years of misdirection. I had a three infusion course of scorched earth solu medrol 1000mg/iv and it was a miracle by the third infusion but the flares returned and that doctor moved out of state. Now a rheumatologist started at 15mg 11 days ago, tapering, and I’ve noticed it helps but not “cures”. Rheumatologist does think I’ll need a biologic combo approach. I go back in a couple weeks for follow-up blood work and plan. I do have GCA and am post cancer treatment so it gets complicated.
@jfannarbor
Beginning Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate = 78
C-Reactive Protein, Quant = 26
I don't know what they are now. My rheumatologist wanted to wait until I was on the 25 mg prednisone before checking again.
@jfannarbor
These initial results were also noted
Free Kappa Lt Chains,S = 143.7
Kappa/Lambda Ratio,S = 8.21
Platelets = 454
@jfannarbor
Sorry for the choppy response but I should mention that the prednisone is relieving the pain in my hips and thighs but not so much in my shoulders. It might be that I use my arms more, but when my shoulders hurt, even holding my cell phone or coffee cup can feel like I'm overexerting myself. Yesterday at my in-laws I got overheated from sitting too close to the kitchen with all the cooking going on and I could feel the pain growing in my neck and shoulders to the point where my head hurt and I had to find a cooler place to sit. The headache stayed with me for hours. Maybe I have more than one thing going on. I've had issues with neck and shoulder pain with headache going back to Dec when I was on vacation in Florida.
I understand… for every new symptom that happens my head places a “maybe it’s because..” on as often do Dr’s. No solutions but try to trust what your own instincts are.