PMRproAmbassador4 years ago

It is possible but it doesn't sound typical symptoms and it is a very rare disorder in Asian populations - unless maybe you have a northern European heritage in your family.

I think you need to speak to your doctor about some investigations into the exact cause of the hip and groin pain since that is obviously what you are most aware of.

gifford74 years ago

It sounds like some form of inflammatory arthritis. see:

arthritis.org/about-arthrit...

"Arthritis and Diseases that Affect the Hip

From cartilage breakdown to muscle inflammation, problems to blame for painful hips....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints that occurs when body’s immune system – which normally protects us from infection – mistakenly attacks the synovium, the thin membrane that lines the joints. Symptoms of hip rheumatoid arthritis include pain, redness, swelling and warmth of the affected hip joints. Unchecked, inflammation can lead to hip joint damage loss of function and disability. In addition to the hips, rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects the knees, hands, wrists, feet, elbows and ankle."

arthritis.org/about-arthrit...

"Hip Pain Diagnosis"

arthritis.org/about-arthrit...

"Corticosteroids. These quick-acting drugs, similar to the cortisone made by your own body, are used to control inflammation. If hip inflammation is due to a systemic autoimmunme disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids. If inflammation is limited to your hip or an inflamed bursa, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid preparation directly into the inflamed joint or bursa."

Sudswathi1 in reply to gifford74 years ago

But the pain in the hips and groin was only for a week in June when the steroid was tapered from 4 mg twice s day to 4 mg once a day. Subsequently on all the times tapering was done no pain was there...In fact the only sign of this disease seems to be the rising crp and esr. Has anyone had this kind of pmr?

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PMRproAmbassador in reply to Sudswathi14 years ago

Many other things will cause the ESR and CRP to rise - chest infections amongst them. It isn't a sure sign what you have is PMR. That's why I suggested you need that pain looked at more closely but if that pain has cleared maybe that can be ignored.

Dropping your dose to half the dose your body was used to can cause something called steroid withdrawal pain - which is often similar to what you are taking the pred for. If it was short-lived then that is possibly what the pain was in June. Now your body is more used to the changing doses.

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Sudswathi1 in reply to PMRpro4 years ago

Thank you for your quick response. There was and still there is no chest infection. That's why I am totally confused.

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PMRproAmbassador in reply to Sudswathi14 years ago

As HeronNS says - it could well be PMR but it is a chronic disorder and if you need 4mg to keep the inflammaotry markers stable and low, that is what you need. You aren't reducing the dose relentlessly to zero, you are looking for the lowest dose that manages the inflammation. It doesn't mean you won't get to a lower dose and then off pred altogether - just not yet. The median duration of management of PMR with steroids is just under 6 years - this isn't a short term illness.

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HeronNS4 years ago

It's stressful not knowing what may be causing symptoms or questionable blood test results. I hope your doctor has run the basic tests which can flag any other issues. If that has been done and nothing sinister found then it seems you are much like many of the rest of us, dealing with the inevitable discomforts of aging. I do hope you are feeling well, other than this worry?

My own doctor has always said she treats the symptoms, not the blood results (this was after PMR was as definite a diagnosis as we could reach). And it took several years for my CRP to reach a healthy low level, although my PMR symptoms had been well controlled all that time, mostly at a very low dose. I still need to take about 2 mg per day.

Sudswathi14 years ago

My worry is the possible side effect of long term steroid use...

PMRproAmbassador in reply to Sudswathi14 years ago

I've been on much higher doses than that for over 9 years - I have no identifiable adverse effects but it keeps me well and mobile.

Your body makes the equivalent of about 7mg of natural corticosteroid anyway in order to be able to work properly. Being on a dose below about 5mg is very safe - even long term. Your doctor will keep an eye on you.

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Sudswathi1 in reply to PMRpro4 years ago

Thanks for the reassuring reply..

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