Reducing

[Tonysue]

Hi Everyone. I’ve been reducing for months and have been doing really well. Had this PMR for 4 years. Never had a positive blood test result. I reached 11 and a half mgs a day and pain and stiffness have returned with a vengeance. Lower back, buttocks and thighs and shoulders. I don’t think it’s just a withdrawal hiccup as have been struggling for three weeks.

Please advise me. I’m reluctant to go to the docs as, kind and helpful as they are, I don’t think they know more than me really. Sorry if I sound arrogant but they don’t have the advantage of this wonderful forum.

Please help. 😘

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I'd say you have a back muscle problem, myofascial pain syndrome (MPS)/piriformis syndrome possibly and that is on top of the PMR. The MPS is caused by the same inflammatory sunstances as PMR but they are trapped in the muscle fascia (the transparent skin you know from joints of meat and poultry) and in trigger points in the muscle groups, hard accumulations of inflamed and hardened muscle fibres, which can irritate nearby nerve and cause referred pain in the legs or arms and neck.

For me it is an increase in the MPS problem that ALWAYS heralds a flare of PMR, often starting a few months ahead - if I can get the MPS sorted, the PMR flare is far less awful and easier to manage.

Why not try a few days of a higher dose and see if it helps? Then present the result to the GP and ask for help. If you can afford it, find a good sports physio massage can work wonders and Bowen therapy also helped me a lot in the pre-pred days when the GP was worse than useless in being unable to work out what it was.

[Tonysue in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro. I have gone up to 13mgs for the last four days and today feel less stiff. I go to Docs and ask him about the MPS as I have been wondering if there could be something as well as PMR. I was doing so well that it’s made me very low. Got a lot on as well with a house move and a husband who struggles with his cancer.

That is a definite whinge isn’t it? 😳 Very bad as I have lots of blessings.👍

We’re all doing what Dory the fish told Nemo to ! We’re just keep swimming.😉

Sue

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Tonysue]

No - not a whinge. Perfectly normal - why shouldn't we?