pain, crippling, even with a stick,20 min sleep at 9,11,3,8,bed at 10,pain in feet,legs,shoulders,forearms

I am in my 3rd year of reducing the PRED to nearly 11mg-been reducing on a 7-8 wk cycle. Generally doing OK and then diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis -thought at first to be Sciatica. A lot of pain killer but I then 2mths ago fitted a STEN machine. Helped a great deal. Had to return to medium dosing of strong pain killer. My bloods and BP etc are good .Good people-anybody else as had similar symptoms? I do not know which, 1-Spinal Stenosis or is 2 -PMR playing on the other .80 just ,still swim a doz. lengths on a Friday-Pain,crippling,sleeping during the day/every, still waiting for an Epidural ,but are there any other Tests that can be carried out to sort out the difference? -not reducing at the moment - keeping at 11mg,thank you- John

[Rose54]

Hi

Sorry you are in so much pain

Have you had blood test for vitamin deficiency

I started taking B12 some time ago and found it helped and just found out I also need vitamin D .

I am probably grasping at straws here for you but think every little helps .

Best Wishes

Rose

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Honestly don't think there are any tests to differentiate which is doing what - other than the pred should deal with the PMR pain if you are taking enough. The stress of the pain from the spinal stenosis could well be aggravating the PMR and you might well be advised to try more pred in the meantime. A couple of ladies who had hip replacements found they were able to reduce the pred dose well after their hips were done - it was as if the OA pain had made the PMR worse. You could try just a couple of days of more pred and see if it helps at all - if it doesn't then you could go straight back to 11mg.

There is someone on one of the forums who has spinal stenosis but I can't remember who or on which. Which I know is no help at all - but hopefully it is this one and they'll see your post.