Pain in sides

[margiebell4]

I've had PMR for about a year and have reduced to 7/6.5 so far, using the slow method. Recently I've had a few episodes of discomfort in my sides between my ribs and hip bones. Has anyone else experienced this?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I had something called myofascial pain syndrome which is often found alongside PMR and which can cause referred pain at about rib level. Trigger spots of hard muscle fibres form in pairs alongside the spine, in shoulders, about rib level and in the low back - and can irritate nerves. It improves at higher doses of pred but then can return as you reduce the dose.

[maria40]

I've had this intermittently, generally after reducing prednisolone dose. But it usually passes after a few days of new dose.

[margiebell4 in reply to maria40]

Thanks Maria, I was wondering if it could be anything to do with the adrenal glands.

[maria40 in reply to margiebell4]

I haven't got that low yet - this time around - I'm still on 11.5. But I have previously been as low as 4mg and don't remember having it at the lower levels . But there may be a correlation; we are on a magical mystery tour with this medication and its side effects aren't we?

[barbara1234]

No, I haven't experienced what you describe. To tell you the truth, in my slowly reducing from 19 mg. to 1 mg. currently, I generally had a few incidents of strange pain now and then along the way, but my policy was to ignore them because they only lasted a few days at most.

Knowing nothing of your situation, I have no right to suggest that you ignore the "few episodes of discomfort. . ." that you describe. It's all up to you, and I wish you good luck.

Barbara Young

[HeronNS in reply to barbara1234]

I know everyone is different.  I tend to agree with you, Barbara.  I've had unusual pains from time to time, and they do go away after a couple of days or a week or so.  I think if something stayed longer and was starting to worsen then it would be time to find out what was going on.

[Hidden]

 i am at the same point as you with my reductions. Except I Split my dose, 5 at night and 2 in the morning, or 4.5 and 2. The other day I forgot to take morning dose and at about 4 pm was in a lot of pain around lower ribs, so much that breathing became challenging! I didn't realise immediately my mistake and carried on with taking evening dose later. Then I knew what the problem was as morning dose was still there.  I can only assume it was either withdrawal pains or adrenals struggling.

I just took the evening dose which gave relief and carried on from there.