I've been slowly tapering down to 5 mg. for the last couple of weeks (diagnosed Oct 2016). I'm not feeling too good with it but this maybe due to withdrawal symptoms. However I've had pains in my right thigh and hip for about 6 weeks now which get worse when I get up after sitting a while or when I walk too much. This last couple of weeks the pains have got really bad and they are making me limp when I walk. My hip aches but the main pains when I walk are down the front of my thigh and the inside leg from the groin to the knee. The hip and thigh also hurt when I'm in bed trying to sleep. Co-codamol, which I tried taking at night when I was desperate, doesn't really work for the pain but does make me sleepy. What does bursitis feel like or could it be Osteoarthritis? Can one have PMR pain on one side only? I'm seeing my GP on Friday after having had a ESR blood test last Friday. Would bursitis raise the ESR level? How would she diagnose what this pain is?
Sorry about all the questions, but this forum is so useful I'd like to take advantage of it! So many thanks in advance to anyone who can share their experience.
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Joan-E-D
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I have bursitis, and my pains are down outside of thigh, physio has given me exercises - ouch! Am recovering from opposite knee op, but will be going back for acupuncture and massage next week - I find that helps. Also if you side sleep a small pillow under hip does help!
If it’s osteoarthritis then apparently you get pain in your groin - which is why it was discounted as causing the problem!
If it’s either of the above then co-codamol should take the edge off the pain, but it doesn’t get rid of it altogether.
As piglette says speak to GP, if he thinks it’s OA he’ll send you for X-ray.
Reading Joan-E-D s post I can identify with all of her symptoms. I too have a painful swollen knee also and I am in quite a lot of discomfort. Pred now reduced down to to 4mg, after being diagnosed with GCA in 2015. How does one identify with what is causing these pains. Is hip pain possibly a bursitis, is it arthritis, or is the pain now due to PMR ? I also have thigh and lower leg pain on ocassions. Am due to see my GP in a weeks time. Don’t really know where to start with explaining all my aches and pains !!!!
It depends to some extent where the pain is. I found that problems with low back muscles, including piriformis, can cause pain all the way down the leg as it irritates the sciatic nerve. But bursitis could cause all you describe.
I was lucky (?) in that I knew I had a touch of arthritis in left knee pre GCA, but of course on the high doses all pain receded, but the knee continued to deteriorate and once I’d got down to about 15mg the pain returned.
As I only had GCA, and no symptoms other than eyes, head & shoulders pre diagnosis I knew it wasn’t GCA.
I never had PMR, so for me there was no confusion.
My bursitis was brought about by me compensating with alledgedly good leg whilst bad knee got more painful.
The physio I’ve been seeing since my knee operation has confirmed I do have slight arthritis in troublesome hip, but by the symptoms I.e. pain in hip (buttock/glutes) and down outer leg (and not in groin area) indicate the main source of pain is bursitis.
If your leg pain is only one sided then I would think it’s more likely bursistis and/or OA rather than PMR.
Just make a note of where your pains are so you can readily explain to GP. He may well know what it is without further investigation or send you for X-ray.
Thank you Dorset Lady for your prompt reply. I am so hoping the hip pain is bursitis. Just like you higher doses of pred have kept knee reasonable. A steroid injection a year ago also helped. The hip pain you describe is what I seem to be feeling. Pain in the outside of the hip and not able to weight bear on stairs etc., It makes sense that with a painful left knee, the right hip is compensating somewhere along the line. Thank you, keeping my fingers crossed I won’t need a hip replacement.
Hello There. I so identify with these symptoms as I’m on 4 mg and having very similar issues . One of my hips has pain as you describe on the outside which I’m sure is bursitis and the other hip has groin ‘creaking’ which I think is arthritis. I’ve made an appointment with a Rheumy to try to figure it all out so I can make sure I’m treating my symptoms correctly. Do you find the more you walk the more pain you get in the hip ? I find with the ‘bursitis’ side my buttock and outside hip/thigh becomes painful.
Hi, I have OA in my hip, hence the groin pain, but also Bursitis in both hips, it gets very confusing, as my GP tells me to rest up with the Bursitis, but I need to exercise the hip with OA, not sure whether I'm coming or going sometimes , does anyone else have the same trouble, I am at 10mg,started at 15mg in April
What's the matter with him giving you a steroid shot for the bursitis? Resting tends not to help PMR-associated bursitis, it is a part of the PMR and fed by the autoimmune part of the disorder.
Physio has given my exercise for my bursistis, but as PMRpro says it really depends on what’s caused it as to the treatment. If it’s caused by PMR then rest doesn’t necessarily help, whereas if it rom an injury it might!
Mine has been caused by strain from other leg problems, so like you I’m trying to rest and exercise at same time. I did notice that extra use on it over the last couple of days has increased the pain!
My PMR flared as bursitis, which started in one hip and then progressed to the other and both shoulders! See what the ESR result is and what your GP says tomorrow.
I have the same thing in my left hip and thigh. I was X-rayed last year and told there was nothing wrong with my hip joint and the pain was due to wasted muscle caused by taking Pred. It is worse first thing in the morning and after sitting for a while, I cannot manage stairs very easily, have to lead with the other leg. I went to a Chiropractor for a long time and she sorted my Piriformis problem, other than that I take 1 Paracetamol when it gets too bad. I have just started taking Vit B Complex to see if that helps.
x-rays don't show bursitis - it is generally a clinical diagnosis. Something most GPs seem to be unable to cope with when they don't have a clinical scientist telling them what is wrong,
I've just checked this online and it gives pain on the outer thigh which is one place I haven't any pain. so hopefully that isn't the problem. Thanks for suggesting it though.
I suffered something similar tapering 7 to 5 although in my case the pain was in the outside rt leg along the IT band. I saw a physio who found that there were “knots” in the glutes and hamstring muscles. Pred messes up your ligaments and the muscles often suffer. With a few sessions of manipulation and some exercises, it has improved immensely.
I’d suggest getting a doc to look at it to rule out anything non-mechanical then see a good physiotherapist.
I have this too. Physio says not bursitis, that it’s due to weak groin muscles from wasting. She uses ultrasound treatments in my lower groin and has given me isometric exercises to do. I can do very few of the exercises so far but hoping for results soon.
I had bursitis too—also cleared up by Physio but completely different pain on outside of hip and completely different treatment.
It turned out to be a trapped femoral nerve which an osteopath sorted out for me by releasing the nerve. Something similar to sciatica but the nerve comes out of the spine a bit further up and serves a different part of the leg and back. He told me not to do the exercises recommended by the hospital physiotherapist and not to use a stick for walking as these made it worse. He encouraged me to walk as normally as possible once the acute pain had left me. I had about 5 sessions and am now fine and I know what movements to do if I get a twinge again. So far its working.
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See what the ESR result is and what your GP says tomorrow.
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