flare and steroids

[TillyO]

hi

I’m only on hydroxycholoquine and currently having a flare- a lot of muscle and neck pain and GI pain- Will taking a course of steroids help?

thanks 🙏

[Brychni]

Hi Tilly

My consultant told me that is was OK to take short courses as and when I need. I have a mishmash of connective tissue problems, inflammatory arthritis and the clotting lupus antibodies and am also on hydroxychloroquine.

It's fair to say that since being put on the hydroxyc. things have not go tnay worse but I do occasionally have pain that just won't go away and on when that happens I take etoricoxib (a super duper NSAID, I think) and a short course of steroids. They always work like magic for me but I've never seen the point of a long drawn out tapering if they work quickly and rheumy said that was OK. I've actually only taken them twice in the last 12 months.

Hope that helps. Of course you should follow the medical advice given at your appointments.

[TillyO in reply to Brychni]

Thank you good to know I can ask if I need them. Over the worst I think x

[Walkinglondon]

Hello Tilly, they help my daughter a lot. Though she feels on a’high’ for a few days afterwards which is nice as she has less pain and a lot more energy. This wears of after a while. Doctors try to use them sparingly though. Hope this helps.

[TillyO in reply to Walkinglondon]

Thanks for the reply at least I know I can ask the doc for them as NSAIDs don’t agree with my stomach