Does anyone have head tender spots

[ayoung]

I have been having pain in my head above the ear and towards the Centre of my right side. When touching it, it hurts but only lasts about 10 minutes. It is just tender to touch. I am now taking 4 prednisone daily and 6 metrextrate once a week. I am finally feeling no pain after being on the metrextrate for 3 months. The head tender spot is the only pain I have.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

What do you mean by 4 Pred? They come in different doses - so what dose overall?

What dose did you start on? What have you been diagnosed with?

[ayoung in reply to DorsetLady]

I started with 15 mg of prednisone 3 years ago. I got down to 1 pred. about a year ago. Then had a total flare up. Saw an internist and he prescribed the methotrexate 6-2.5 mgs. Once a week plus 1 5 mg. of folic acid daily. I also took 5 mgs of prednisone daily along with these. It takes 3 months for this new drug to take effect. I have been on this dose for 4 months and I haven't had any flare ups. Only the head tenderness a couple of times. I have been diagnosed with PMR.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to ayoung]

Ok thanks for explaining. What a great shame about your flare last year.

Some people do get a sort of head issue with PMR, but yours certainly doesn’t sound typically that nor GCA.

Can you think of anything else it could be connected to - problems with your mouth or neck. But I think you should get it checked out anyway - if only to put your mind at rest.

Good to hear a combination of 5mg Pred and the Mtx is working, but please don’t let anyone hassle you to reduce to Pred too quickly - the Mtx doesn’t replace it, just makes it easier to reduce.

And bear in mind the median timescale for PMR is now considered to be 5.9years - not the 2 years that many doctor still seem to believe - also remember that a dose lower than 5mg daily is doing more good than harm!

Take care and please let us know the “head” outcome

[ayoung in reply to DorsetLady]

The dr. Sent me for 4 blood cultures, ESR test and urine test yesterday after I told him about the head tenderness. So we shall see in a few days if it is a another problem. I had this problem way back after I was n pred for a few years.

[Blearyeyed in reply to ayoung]

Glad to hear they have started the ball rolling.

Just wanted to ask , did you suffer from regular or occasional migraine issues before the PMR raised it's ugly head?

Sometimes head and ear tenderness and pain can be unrelated to the PMR itself , or the medication but just the unfortunate return of headaches and other aches and pains we used to suffer before the PMR came along and the meds for it helped mask these other old health issues.

Take care , Bee xx

[Daisychain12 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Oh. Bee. You are Marvellous. I need you 😭😭😭😭

[Blearyeyed in reply to Daisychain12]

What immediately , better grab me coat!!

But seriously , are you ok?

[ayoung in reply to Blearyeyed]

Never had any type of headaches.

[Blearyeyed in reply to ayoung]

Good to know.

Is it just tenderness or is it hot , can you feel any spot like lumps or does it feel like throbbing?

[ayoung in reply to Blearyeyed]

Yes, it just feel tender when I touch it. No lumps or throbbing.

[Blearyeyed in reply to ayoung]

Sounds like as the others are saying that Pred ledge when the head and nerves start letting you know they are still trying to recover from the damage done.

Hope the GP gives you a definitive answer from the blood results , obviously until they are in , no one can really say which way to go.

[Annecath in reply to ayoung]

I have PMA and am responding well to steroids started at 15 mgs and now down to 13 mgs very slowly reducing over 5 months. I also have spondylitis in my neck that for years has given me pain and tenderness in my scalp and head and still does although not as much as it did ,just wanted to throw this in as another reason for pains in your head. I wish you we well a young try to keep smiling 😊👍

[ayoung in reply to Annecath]

Thank you very much for that info. I believe that I may have that problem in my neck and will have to talk to my lawyer about it.

[piglette in reply to ayoung]

That sounds a lot of folic acid daily - 15mg.

[ayoung in reply to piglette]

Sorry, it is 5 mgs.

[piglette in reply to ayoung]

Perfect dose!!