1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Skin infections while on Prednisone

Posted by paulinef @paulinef, Jul 10, 2017

I recently had a fall and mildly, or so I thought, scraped my knee. I am currently on 10mg day of Prednisone for PMR and the scrape
became infected so have just finished a course of antibiotics (cephalexin) which cleared it. Now I have another scrape that appears to be infected so wondering if others on prednisone have experienced this and if antibiotics are the only recourse..

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

Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jul 10, 2017

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

REPLY
5 replies
Lisa | @techi | Jul 10, 2017

I don't know if this will help you but my dematologist and general practice both gave me cream for the itching. They told me l had psorias artbiarits. I think that's the correct spelling anyway. I took baths and kind hot ones because l'm usually cold in the mornings. And my doctor advised me to take cool one but l've been doing that all my life. And l started using Eucerin intensive repair and it helped me my skins not dry or itchy. And it makes your skin smooth and silky. I haven't been itching. I tell my husband my skin is so smooth and we laugh. As far aa the infection you need to speak to your doctor. So l hope that will help the dryness.

REPLY
1 reply
rolandhp | @rolandhp | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

Jump to this post

Hi well I have had PMR since March & being treated with prednisone I started out with 20mg every other day then I had to go to 20/day. Between the Dr. & myself we have been trying to adjust, I dropped the 20mg/ day taking 10 in the morning & then 10 in the evening. Then I dropped down to 5 in the morning & 10 in the evening well that did not work out to good so we increased it back to 10 in the AM & 10 PM. now I am back to 5mg in the AM & 5 in the PM. It is now working out okay I still have pain in both shoulders but I can cope with a little pain just to get off the steroids. I am able to do most of what I use to do except play golf & lift weights. I am able to ride my bike (pedal) also my motorcycle & do gym work. The secret is keep active.

REPLY
barbararene | @barbararene | Jul 10, 2017

I have not had any sores that wouldn't heal while I am taking the prednisone. I was on 2 mg and was hoping I was done. A lot of my PMR pain came back. I increased the dose to 3 mg. I probably need 5mg, but feel as if I'm never going to get off of this medication. I can't believe 1 mg makes such a huge difference. It's almost been 2 yrs of dealing w this illness. Anyway I am managing w 3mg and I am taking 1/2 tramadol in the morning and the other 1/2 half in the evening.
Here's to all of us that are dealing w this pain. May an answer be found soon and may God heal us and give us peace and comfort.
Barbara

REPLY
4 replies
paulinef | @paulinef | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

Jump to this post

I tripped out walking and fell onto hard paving - knee was protected bye jeans but I thoroughly cleaned it plus polysporin for a few days. As it started to look inflamed I went to doctor and she thought it could be reaction to polysporin but prescribed antibiotic anyway, which cleared it. I assume prednisone restricts healing thru repressed auto immune syste as now the latest scrape isn't healing

REPLY
paulinef | @paulinef | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @techi "I don't know if this will help you but my dematologist and general practice both gave..." + (show)
@techi

I don't know if this will help you but my dematologist and general practice both gave me cream for the itching. They told me l had psorias artbiarits. I think that's the correct spelling anyway. I took baths and kind hot ones because l'm usually cold in the mornings. And my doctor advised me to take cool one but l've been doing that all my life. And l started using Eucerin intensive repair and it helped me my skins not dry or itchy. And it makes your skin smooth and silky. I haven't been itching. I tell my husband my skin is so smooth and we laugh. As far aa the infection you need to speak to your doctor. So l hope that will help the dryness.

Jump to this post

Thank you - dryness isn't an issue yet but good to know about Eucerin

REPLY
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

Jump to this post

Thanks for the additional information @paulinef. I have not seen any information about a reaction caused by prednisone and an antibiotic but it might be a great question for your pharmacist. I have used antibiotic hand soap but not sure if that qualifies. Are you able to call your local pharmacist where you got your prednisone RX and ask them?

John

REPLY
paulinef | @paulinef | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

Jump to this post

Seems that it was the prednisone that was causing the lack of healing, not the polysporin causing a reaction. The antibiotic has cleared the first infection but waiting to see how the second scrape progresses - doctor doesn't want to put me on another antibiotic unless worsens.

REPLY
paulinef | @paulinef | Jul 10, 2017
In reply to @barbararene "I have not had any sores that wouldn't heal while I am taking the prednisone. I..." + (show)
@barbararene

I have not had any sores that wouldn't heal while I am taking the prednisone. I was on 2 mg and was hoping I was done. A lot of my PMR pain came back. I increased the dose to 3 mg. I probably need 5mg, but feel as if I'm never going to get off of this medication. I can't believe 1 mg makes such a huge difference. It's almost been 2 yrs of dealing w this illness. Anyway I am managing w 3mg and I am taking 1/2 tramadol in the morning and the other 1/2 half in the evening.
Here's to all of us that are dealing w this pain. May an answer be found soon and may God heal us and give us peace and comfort.
Barbara

Jump to this post

Thank you for your input. It is very helpful to read people's posts about PMR and how they are dealing with it. Doctor affirmed that being on prednisone does inhibit the normal healing process.

REPLY
rolandhp | @rolandhp | Jul 11, 2017
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @paulinef, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Connect is a great place to meet others with similar health issues and compare treatments. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) also and am in the process of tapering off of prednisone. I'm currently on 6 mg dosage. I have had some scrapes recently but none from falling or any that got infected. I would like to invite a few Connect members who also have mentioned dealing with PMR in their discussions to see if they have any input. @rolandhp @mach92 @anya @barbararene, @charlena, and @jchatchett do have any experience with using antibiotics or other treatments for infections while on prednisone?

@paulinef can you share how you scraped your knee and it became infected? I was wondering if you were able to clean the scrape but it still got infected.

John

Jump to this post

Thank goodness I have not had any fall or any bad scrapes so I cannot comment on the healing process from taking prednisone. Although yesterday I did forget to take my morning 5mg of the pred. Well I paid the price for that last night 7-10 my shoulders, hip, back & neck really hurt along with my BP that really spiked. An hour after taking my evening 5mg of the pred. my BP went down to normal. This morning I feel pretty good. So lesson learned do not skip taking the prednisone or you will pay the price.

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