Poly myalgia-prednisone

[janecm]

Have just been diagnosed as having poly myalgia. Have been told prednisone is treatment of choice. I have been on pred. before with very severe side effects. Can anyone tell me if any other treatment worked for for you?

[HeronNS]

Usually prednisone for polymyalgia is a relatively low dose, often starting at 15 mg and after about six weeks beginning a careful taper to a lower dose which continues to manage the symptoms well. If you were on a high dose for your previous condition that might have caused more severe side effects. What side effects did you experience?

So far pred is the only reliable treatment for PMR although there are other things we can do to improve our general health which may help manage the symptoms and side effects in order to keep the pred dose as low as possible while still remaining effective.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Corticosteroids are not just the drug of choice - they are the only drugs that work in PMR other than tocilizumab which has been approved for GCA and is being used in the UK on a case by case basis, while in the USA there are some rheumies using it for PMR as well. I'm not sure how they go about funding it and it is said to cost IRO $40K per year for all the associated costs without funding.

Most of the side effects of pred can be managed fairly well when you know how - what were your problems?

[janecm]

Side effects from prednisone .

Hair loss, weight gain,very hungry all the time,nervous,depressed, unable to sleep,and many more!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to janecm]

The weight gain and continuous hunger can be helped a lot by cutting carbs drastically - that helps balance out your blood sugar level so it doesn't go high, trigger insulin production and then fall quickly so you feel hungry again. The excess insulin is what contributes to the weight gain. Almost no carbs, no insulin, fewer problems.

Sleep can be managed and it does improve as your dose falls - it all depends a bit on the dose you are on and PMR doses are usually relatively low.

Most people have a lot of side effects - but for most of us the reedom from pain does make it worth it.

[SheffieldJane]

We have nothing else Jane.C. What side effects were you particularly troubled with? My relationship with Pred has been tempestuous but we've knock along together quite well now. Most of the ill effects have remedies. I just need to be disciplined about diet now, which I haven't been lately. Seem to have a carb and sugar monster that demands to be fed.

[elbik]

janecm - your nervousness and depression are probably caused by lack of sleep, good sleep is essential, and possibly lack of magnesium. For regular good sleep I've used a herbalist who is very conversant with PMR and now take magnesium glycinate and tart cherry juice - the juice from black cherries containing melatonin which is a natural sleep hormone, see the web page livestrong.com for a good description of magnesium glycinate.

[jwb43]

Jane CM, my reactions to pred are bad also. Much like yours plus extreme heart palpations and some others. I have been taking different pain meds and supplements for the past 5 years because it's that or nothing for me. Like they say all of the meds have some negative effects it just depends on what the trade off is. I would rather dull the pain with pain meds than feel horriable with pred.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jwb43]

You are lucky then - for most of us pain meds do nothing for PMR pain.