Pain several days after first reduction

[bunnymom]

So I am following the slow reduction plan. Trying to go from 12.5 to 11. First day at 11 some grouchy moments but felt OK. 3 days later all the while at 12.5 I am having increasing shoulder back and rib pain. I am assuming this is from the one day of reduction and my inflammation has crept back up? Do I increase by one for a day or so and then try again in a few weeks? It has been over a year and I can't seem to reduce much🙁 Thanks for all your wonderful guidance and support .

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi bunnymom,

Sorry to hear about your returning pain. Would suggest you perhaps put your plan on hold for a couple of weeks, and then try again. It might just be the wrong time at the moment, next time may be okay.

I know you work, so maybe it's a bit stressful at the moment, or you're slightly over-doing things. Lots of factors come into it.

12.5 to 11mg is a strange reduction to us Brits, is it because you have different size tablets in US. A smaller reduction of 1mg might be easier if you can manage that. I know it doesn't sound much, but sometimes it's enough to make the difference between failure and success.

Take care.

[bunnymom in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks Dorset Lady. I was trying to lower by 10%. For stress we had a new grand baby last week which was a 14 hour day at the birth center. Then we leave next week for our son's wedding with a flight across the States. Honestly there is always something going on and I don't do much of anything but work anymore, I am hoping when school is out mid May I can reduce more but last summer I was really sick with lots of symptons.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to bunnymom]

10% is the MAXIMUM - and less is better. Anyway - you were trying a 1.5mg drop, which is over 10%, it is 10% of 15mg. 10% of 12 is 1.2mg. From 15mg we usually say 1mg at a time - that's more than enough and some people don't manage even that.

But with a programme like that? No wonder you are struggling.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to bunnymom]

As PMRpro says, no wonder you can't reduce with all that going on! For the next few weeks, don't even try!

Hopefully get other problems confirmed, and then discuss a sensible and joined up way forward.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't think it is likely to be due to 1 single day reduction - that is the idea, if one day is too difficult, increasing the number of days will be even worse! And it isn't steroid withdrawal - that's the other point of the DSANS. Are you sure it is PMR and not something like myofascial pain syndrome?

It sounds more like a proper flare - although how long had you been at 12.5mg? Maybe IT wasn't quite enough and it has finally caught up.

If you are struggling so much after a year - have they investigated other possibilities? Though when you are working it is a whole different ball game reducing.

[bunnymom in reply to PMRpro]

I have seen 5 Drs to investigate shoulder pain on one side since May. Finally am seeing an Ortopedic Dr at a pain clinic in two weeks. They have taken an mri of neck which showed a bulging disc. Dr said I would have to be off steroids for 3 months for surgery. I said forget that! Impossible! He thought it was more likely a rotator cuff issue anyway hence the Mri. So off to the new Dr for the shoulder report and a possible steroid neck injection.

I have been at 12.5 since November and have tried each month to unsucessfully reduce. Think my Rhuemy is going to want to try something else when I visit next.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to bunnymom]

Might be worth shopping around for another surgeon. But one-sided shoulder pain is almost certainly not due to the PMR. It does seem unfair - once we've got PMR we should get to be excused anything else...

[bunnymom in reply to PMRpro]

Yes PMR should excuse us from all other sickness while its here.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I wish!

[tgca in reply to DorsetLady]

And GC bloody A !!!

[Augustus-6]

I cant get below 5 mg im already gets flares and i increase to 20mg then reduce to 5 mg but can never get lower only higher. 5mg is manageable just and with. Couple ibuprofen a week. When i have big burn i up to 20mg and reduce to 5 inside 2 weeks.