Changing from prednisone to NSAID’s

I recommend you see a knee specialist. They are best trained to identify knee problems
I had multiple problems. Aggravated by PMR, yet treated differently.

This question was for "longlife" the original poster.

I am not good at a short answer. I was seeing an orthopedic for my pain and had MRI of my shoulders and xrays of my knees. Basically bursitis some arthritis but nothing serious for being 70. Small slap tear in my right shoulder. He suggested a rheumatologist. I went to Mayo phoenix. Waiting on that appointment I self diagnosed myself and started on Dexamethasone. Pain was gone in 4 hrs. I was on Dex about 4 weeks before I saw the rhumy. I didnt show any markers. But he agreed after running a boat load of tests that I had PMR. I had complained to him I thought the dex was making me light headed. He ordered an ultrasound of my neck and thyroid. I was 100% blocked in the right carotid and 70% in the left. He then sent me to cardiologist at Mayo that cleaned out the left. He also sent me to a urologist at Mayo. I had prostate cancer 8 months before PMR.
Just after I finished tapering steroids I had pain in my abdomen. I thought it was prednisone flare. So I kept putting up with it. Then I started running a heavy fever. I went to emergency and I had a 9mm kidney stone with an infected kidney. Had to have surgery for that. So steroids may not have caused all my problems but they sure can mask many things. I seem to be good now. Survived the cancer and survived PMR and steroids. 72 and kicking.

Thanks for your reply, the helpful info and taking good care of yourself! So very glad you are doing well now! Enjoy!!!

Great you tapered off in that space of time took me 2 years to get from 20 to none
As I got down to 3mg to zero I developed painful knees and shoulders and upper arms my legs ache in bed I do use an antiflamme ointment on knees and shoulders before I go to bed it’s called Natures Kiss anti flamme here in Aotearoa New Zealand and is helpful
I lost a lot of muscle strength on prednisone and wonder if that’s why my knees are so sore and am seeing a musculoskeletal physician in August
I know prednisone is very helpful and lifesaving for a lot of people I had significant adverse side effects and won’t be prescribed it again
The rheumatologist said it will take months for my body to recover
I hope all goes well for you

Arnica cream.

I was diagnosed with major inflammatory arthritis in my early twenties ( I’m 74 now). I could not turn over in bed, walk or get up from a chair! At the time I was hospitalized and given whole body hydrotherapy (like a very warm whirlpool, it felt so good on my joints). They would rotate between hot and cold therapy. I was also put on a medication called Indocin (a NSAID), aspirin for pain and prednisone—which was pretty much all the meds they had at that time! I was unable to work for a year—had a lot of physical therapy during this time, especially to my knees.
My PMR didn’t start until 2 years ago. I’m on my second flare and tapered to 7.5mg of prednisone, waiting to start infusions of Actemra.
I also have osteoarthritis with age, in my hands and in two of my fingers I have those ugly “bone spurs”.
Best of wishes on your health journey.

Please don’t do any more self diagnosis or self medicating!! We need your helpful posts here! So happy you have beat cancer and that you are doing well now!

When do you start the Actemra infusions?

I hope you have an excellent response to Actemra. I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis with associated uveitis in my early 30's. PMR was diagnosed when I was 52.

My rheumatologist said I have "a wide range of rheumatology problems" that caused systemic inflammation. I took Prednisone for a total of 30 years. For the first 15 years, I took intermittent (twice per year an average) high doses (60-100 mg) of prednisone followed by a fast taper (1-2 months). This was the treatment for flares of uveitis, reactive arthritis and trigeminal neuralgia. Remission was quickly achieved for all the above with a prednisone burst. I tried many different "flavors" of NSAIDs between these flares whenever I wasn't taking prednisone.

After PMR was diagnosed, I took prednisone continuously for 12 years. I started with 40 mg of prednisone. I was able to reduce this dose by approximately 10 mg every 5 years. I was still taking 10 mg of prednisone when Actemra was tried. I went from 10 mg to zero in one year but most of that year was to allow time for my adrenals to recover.

Now I only do a monthly infusion of Actemra. I have been completely off prednisone for the last 3.5 years. I don't seem to need any other medications to treat pain. My rheumatologist says Acterma is an "anti-inflammatory" medication not a pain medication so she offers me "something else" for pain if I need it. I don't seem to need anything else for pain. If I needed something for pain, I would take an NSAID but I don't seem to need those either.

I have severe arthritis but the pain isn't that severe. My spine doesn't look so good but the pain is tolerable. I guess the inflammation in my joints isn't a problem anymore.

seniormed, what do you consider "sleep hygiene?" I have lifelong insomnia and sleep hygiene for me is called getting lucky. I've tried all the recommendations for best sleep and nothing works for me. If I get 6 hrs, I'm good to go. This year, when we went DST, I started waking up at 5:30 can't get back to sleep. It's been rough. My body is so anti-sleep, I once took an Ambien and it did NOTHING. I felt no effects at all.
Glad you're doing well.