HOW TO REDUCE AGAIN AFTER A FLARE ?

[Polylinc]

Having started at 15mg Pred for PMR a year ago, I successfully decreased to 5mg by just after Christmas 2016 where I still was until this week ...

I starter with a really bad pain in my left arm muscle which appeared to extend down my arm into my wrist and hand. It was so painful it woke me during the night and was pretty painful during daytimes. I tried Co-codamol several times with no change.

Rightly or wrongly, this weekend I decided it could be a flare of PMR and increased Pred a little, to no effect so ... increased to 15mg yesterday . Slightly eased today, so may have been a flare ?

I would now like some advice please, as to how to reduce again from here back to where I was before ... Thank you x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It depends how long you stay on 15mg. Up to a week you can go straight back to where you were if that is still enough to manage the inflammation. If you are having a flare though that suggests the 5mg wasn't enough and you should reduce to a higher dose, say 7mg and then proceed further with caution.

However - to be honest I would doubt that one-sided pain is due to PMR as it is usually both sides. Could it be a shoulder or neck problem that is irritating a nerve? Like sciatica but in the shoulder/arm?

[Polylinc in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro. Yes maybe it could be totally unrelated to PMR but not sure as it just came on unexpectedly. Something I have thought of since posting ...

Whilst I was staying at a friend's, he was testing out his BP monitor on me on that arm, morning and evening for 4-5 days and I did think the band around my arm felt rather tight as he did it, could that have something to do with the pain I have approx two weeks later ?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Polylinc]

Hi,

Funny you should say that, I've been testing my BP more recently because I've stopped one of my tablets, and noticed that my arm is a bit tender! Will have to use the other arm next time! Probably just coincidence but one never knows!

[Polylinc in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you DorsetLady

I guess that alternating arms is a good idea if doing BP tests on a regular basis 🤓

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Polylinc]

They may be different!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Yes they are!

[Nannie-C]

Think a lot of people find taking bp more painful then non PMR people

[LazyTiger in reply to Nannie-C]

Had my bp taken by the nurse and actually pulled the cuff off it was so painful. Never felt anything like it before pmr became an issue. Dreading the checks but are inevitable as bp now up due to pred. Happy days!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nannie-C]

There was a suggestion from someone (no idea who now but a doctor) that taking the BP of patients presenting with PMR-type symptoms and observing their reaction to the pain of the BP cuff inflating could help in the dx. I found it utterly excruciating. I did also have bicep claudication - couldn't hold my phone to my ear without switching hands every couple of minutes.