Muscle atrophy?

[shedevil7953]

Hi all. I've been treated for PMR and RA for 18 months. Just wondering if anyone else has suffered muscle atrophy? I've lost muscle in my calves and also my buttocks. Hardly any padding there at all so need to have some pillow or padded chair when I sit. I assume this is from the pred?

[cjatthesea]

Shedevil. I was diagnosed with GCA and PMR approximately seventeen months ago. The muscles in my calves and buttocks have been affected. I've gone back and forth from high dose to low dose as I've fought Flares. I've always had thin legs and not much booty Now, I have areas that are caved in. Last night, I sat for about two hours at a get together on a lightly padded chair....have been in misery most of the day. No, you are not alone. Keep fighting.

[shedevil7953 in reply to cjatthesea]

Thanks! I suppose at 63, there's no way to gain any muscle loss back? I would have a difficult time trying to exercise. Went through 2 months of physical therapy back in the winter for a torn rotator cuff and suffered with flares from that. I'm worried that if I were to fall, I have no padding in the butt and hips :(.

[cjatthesea in reply to shedevil7953]

Well...never say never. I am 69 and have had a terrible time with Flares. Hoping, someday, when I am beyond this....might be able to get on with my life in a more positive fashion. Certainly am unable to do any exercise at this point. Just walking inside the house makes me breathless, sweaty and shaking. I am in the US....in the South. Weather is warm here. I am learning to be very careful and listen to my body. A fall could be disasterous. I carry battery operated fans or misters....may add a chair pad to my collection ;-0 Gotta' do what ya' gotta' do ! Cjatthesea.

[Fracham]

I have muscle weakness in my legs after taking preds for nearly 6 years, not sure about atrophy. There is a "Yellowcard" system for drug side effects.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is a common side effect but doesn't happen to everybody and not with all sorts of steroid even in one patient. I was fine with prednisolone, had dreadful muscle atrophy with methyl prednisolone and all back to normal in prednisone. So yes, it can reverse.

You can rebuild muscle with the right exercises and asking your GP for a referral for physio is perfectly reasonable. If you have severe muscle atrophy then do mention it to your doctor.

[Parijm]

I have noticed that my arms have become even thinner and particularly the right arm where I have been ailing recently with tendonitis or Golfer's elbow as my Dr referred to it. Last week I decided I just had to get on with emptying & potting up some larger pots, moving bags of compost, that sort of thing. I have been feeling the effect of this, now with lower back ache too. Totally fed up with what I can't do and frustrated with myself