Pain ever goes away on its own?

Posted by kcsfca @kcsfca, Oct 7 9:12pm

I was on Prednisone from the previous July through May this year for PMR, tapering off. I felt ok for a while, with minor pain I could live with. Over the last month, however, the intense pain has been returning to my shoulders, particularly at night. And it seems to be getting worse, not better. Does this ever get better on its own? Does the pain ever go away on its own? Or is the only solution to go back on Prednisone, which I really don’t want to do. Thank you for your thoughts and input here. I am so frustrated and depressed by this and am feeling increasingly weak and somewhat disabled by the pain.

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art43 | @art43 | Oct 12 8:27am

My situation is one year into PMR treatment, having tapered from 30 to 2.5, decreasing 0.5 monthly.
I have tolerated (grin and bear it) the various non-PMR pains (shoulders, hands, wrists, etc.) we all seem to experience after PMR is in remission. Most recently, I have had pain in one rotator cuff, and lower back pain at occasionally concerning levels. During this taper process, I have not ever thought of increasing the P dose, or departing from the taper schedule. My rheumy said at the origin that pain was inevitable, but it would not be PMR. Twice, with permission while at 3 and with a concurrent Prilosec, I took an Aleve when the rotator cuff issue essentially prevented me from lifting my left arm.
In another PMR thread, someone with ongoing lower back pain reported that taking Tart Cherry (an anti-oxidant) eliminated her lower back pain overnight while she continues to taper at something less than 5 mg.
I have never been a fan of or taken any non-vitamin supplements, but I decided to try it.
Whether it is coincidental, cause and effect, or correlational I cannot say. But I have experienced almost no shoulder or back pain for four days now since taking only 2000 mg per day. Thought I would pass this along. Good luck everyone.

54pontiac | @54pontiac | Oct 12 10:02am

In reply to @art43 "Which flavor of Covid shot ? Novavax, or one of the mrna’s (Pfizer or Moderna) ?..." + (show)

Sorry, I don’t remember. I know I’ve had both Pfizer and Moderna in the past with only a slightly sore arm for a few days.

art43 | @art43 | Oct 12 10:48am

In reply to @54pontiac "Sorry, I don’t remember. I know I’ve had both Pfizer and Moderna in the past with..." + (show)

Thank you.
My rheumy thinks that the protein-subunit vaccine (Novavax) is less likely to provoke a flare than the mrna types (Pfizer, Moderna). There appears to be no published clinical evidence on this issue, however.

eby | @eby | Oct 13 2:17am

In reply to @pacarolyn "Hello to all, As they say, "Been there, done that..." I can testify to all of..." + (show)

Sounds Hopeful!
So no steroids' at all...?

kcsfca | @kcsfca | Oct 13 10:51am

Thank you all for your helpful and supportive comments on my original post. I have made a list of supportive ideas. Appreciated the exercise video and am committing myself to more movement in general. Want to check out my inflammation levels again, too, to see if my shoulder pain is connected to the original PMR or now possibly a symptom of something else. Again, my thanks and best wishes to you all on your own journeys!