achilles tendon pain

[Celebrant]

tapering and everything seemed to be going okay. I still had trouble walking and a lot of pain in the Achilles. Pain woke me this AM and particularly the right leg is screaming with pain. Do I up the prednisone or just try and stay off it for a couple of days?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

if it’s Achilles it might be worth trying paracetamol and/or pain relief gel first, and see if that helps. Does heat or cold therapy help? Plus rest as much as you can.

You don’t really want to raise Pred unless you’re sure it is PMR.

[SnazzyD]

Hello, first question is, have you been doing anything unusual, got new footwear, done anything physical repetitively, taken Quinolone type antibiotics?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If it is that bad - get it checked out! Achilles tendonitis is a tricky problem and if it is badly inflamed the tendon is very delicate and a simple stumble can be enough to cause serious damage. As Snazzy says - have you taken certain antibiotics as well as the pred? Either alone can cause achilles tendonitis, both together is worse.

[SheffieldJane]

I have the same dilemma but it doesn’t feel like primary PMR. It is afflicting my knees and ankle, coming downstairs is agony. It feels more arthritic and damp weather related. Helped by paracetamol and lying down for a while. This joins the low back pain after too long on my feet. I fear that Pred might not rescue me this time and I would spoil my taper and get ratty with my exhausting houseguests. The messiest family on God’s earth. No wonder I’m limping. I am forever clearing up the trail of destruction. 😬 Daughter, husband and two darling boys.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

When I had knee pain it was associated with low back pain too - and all linked to tight back muscles.

I would retreat to my bedroom - that is the one place I refuse utterly to give up to anyone else - and tell them I'd be out when there is room for me...

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

This will be part of my MOT in the new year. Proper self-care.

My bedroom is my sanctuary too tg.

Have a perfect Christmas Eileen and a happy healthy new year. X

[Bronni in reply to SheffieldJane]

Oh lord. My daughter SIL, grandson and granddaughter arrive Xmas day. My house is all clean and ready and even looks a bit christmasy. My daughter will actually tell me that it’s her holiday and she’s not doing anything vaguely resembling work!! So last visit I just threw in the towel and joined everybody ‘on vacation ‘. After 3 days, I looked around and started laughing. The chaos was incredible. I had never seen my house look like that and for some reason, I didn’t care 😆. Feel better & Happy Holidays to you. Bronni.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bronni]

Hmmm - I fear my response to that would have been "Stay in a hotel then." But I do live in a very small flat and there simply isn't room for that sort of chaos. And I'm a total Scrooge Bah humbug about xmas anyway.

[Bronni in reply to PMRpro]

Yeah, I guess I’m a bit of a pushover 🤔. I won’t wish you merry Xmas then 😂 but wish you a lovely stress free time and offer many thanks for all the time you give to us and the infinite knowledge you share. Bronni.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bronni]

Next week can only be better than this week!!!!!!! Need to get to the butcher for something for xmas Eve when everything is shut here, pizzeria is open the 25th and the hotel on the 26th so that's OK. Only the 2 of us, the daughter and family have to be picked up in Innsbruck on the 29th (I think...)

[Bronni in reply to PMRpro]

Pizza and hotel sound heavenly. This is the first Xmas in a few yrs that daughter will be here and when it’s just the 2 of us, I make very little effort - so I don’t know which I prefer. TBD! Also they haven’t decided yet whether they need to be picked up at airport 2 hrs away or they’ll take an Uber /rent a car 🙄

[Suet3942 in reply to Bronni]

Well said Bronni. Invaluable advice from PMRpro.

[bunnymom in reply to SheffieldJane]

The bittersweet of family isn't it?

[Suedeshayes]

Hi. I had Achilles’ tendon pain and ignored it and carried on with my walking, and exercises specifically to strengthen the Achilles. However, I went on to rupture it and ended up in plaster for 3 weeks and a boot for 7. It healed, but the other Achilles’ tendon was sore too. I was told by my surgeon that Prednisone weakens particularly, the Achilles’ tendon and that I would have to be careful throughout the journey of steroids. It has taken me nearly a year to get back to my 4 miles of walking and I still feel it. I wear good walking shoes and don’t do rough ground. I still do strengthening exercises advised by my physio and will continue with them.

Good luck and take care. Sue

[Suet3942]

I had the same problem. Achilles tendonitis that lasted 2 years. Used to wake me up at night for months on end. So painful. I did stretching and iced it as much as possible. Didn’t up the pred, just used paracetamol. It did get better but very,very gradually.

[Celebrant]

thanks for your comments. I will be more careful and schedule a visit with my GP after Christmas.

[Rimmy]

Yes take it easy on that Achilles. I had Achilles tendonitis for several weeks and the pain - especially at night was horrid - big cramps. Did some research and found out that Pred changes the micro-architecture of muscles - the Achilles is particularly prone when on Pred. So I wouldn't be taking 'more' in fact the idea is to taper down when you can. I managed with some extra painkillers (codeine/paracetamol) temporarily and did not wear a restrictive boot as I I felt it would be hard to get my calf muscle moving again as it was looking a bit atrophied. That worked fine for me and I did get moving again in weeks not months. I also heard of people getting DVT wearing one of those moon boots. You will need to see the doctor - and hopefully get some good pain relief in the meantime.

Best wishes

Rimmy