Testing for steroid withdrawal

[bunnymom]

I am going from 7.5 to 7 using the slow method. Had PMR for 3 years 3 months. I now am having pain in hands and knees. They feel sore and inflamed but look ok. Could this be steroid withdrawal? By increasing dose for a day would it clear up if this was the case? It is not clearing up over time but seems to stay steady. Heat helps. Any ideas? Thanks friends.

[Hidden]

Did you have any trouble with hands and knees before? Is it bilateral? If you reduced in past 2 days I would try OTC painkillers first for 24hrs if you feel you can. If they work then SW most likely. If it has been 7 to 14 days then maybe pred.

[Hidden]

Hi Bunnymon

One of the things with Pred is it hides a lot of our other aches & pains, therefore before increasing your Pred try a simple pain killer & see if that helps.

I have knee issues & now l’m back up at 12.5mg not much complaint from my knees but when l was on 5mg-7.5mg l had to be prescribed Meds for my knee pain. It was severe when l attempted to walk downstairs, old surgeries affected by Chemo!

So l’d say try painkillers first.

MrsN 🌷

[bunnymom in reply to Hidden]

What did they give you for knee pain? Just wondering what you can take with pred. Thanks

[Hidden in reply to bunnymom]

They recommended increasing my Codeine but also added in Meloxicam but that wouldn’t be what l’d recommend as that was heavy duty & had a specific cause Chemo not PMR

Go to or ring the Pharmacist & see what he’d recommend, something as simple as possible such as Paracetamol would be where l’d start to see if that helps.

[bunnymom in reply to Hidden]

Will do

[SheffieldJane]

I am in the same boat ( PMR diagnosed 3 yrs and 3 months ago). My hands ache a bit and if I try to do anything like open a bottle of water, they really hurt. My knees hurt especially going downstairs and getting out of cars. I am fraudulently on 5 mgs because I simply don’t know what to do and I am thinking Osteoarthritis. I see my Rheumatologist in June and she will urge Methotrexate . Maybe I ought to try but every instinct screams no.

We really thought that we’d be out of the woods by now, didn’t we?

Also the deathly fatigue returned when I got back from Australia, my body preferred their time zone. Stumped!

[bunnymom in reply to SheffieldJane]

It's hard to even know what Dr to go and see. I'm seeing an Ortho for hip pain right now. I think I need to go back and see my other Ortho Dr for neck pain and now my hands and knees may need to see the Rhuemy. I retired to take care of myself and that's all I do right now. Sitting in my recliner with heat pads on knees and tens machine on neck. I was quite shocked to see the fatigue survey and how I'm really doing. It's been a struggling month. Hope it resolves for both of us. 🌞

[Hidden in reply to bunnymom]

It could be referred pain if you have hip issues.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi Jane

Sorry to hear your struggling, have they suggested Methotrexate as it’s usually for RA not OA but they may suggest one of the Anti Inflam’s the best kind l’ve found are the slow release, ie one a day then you can take them with a meal to protect your stomach before they go for the ‘bigger boys’

I’m waiting to go back on Methotrexate but can’t until l see a Rheumatologist on the NHS & as they haven’t got one in Telford so l’m on the Waiting List in Oswestry. Back on 12.5mg Pred rebound from the Locum stopping it in August!......

[SheffieldJane in reply to Hidden]

Yes Sarah Mackie thought Methotrexate. I do have Psoriasis on my feet so Psoriatic Arthritis is a possibility. I would like to try an interim measure. What is the name of the drug you refer too?

After feeling as if I was getting well, I suddenly feel quite disabled again. It is either a flare or arthritis joining the party.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

I didn’t realise you may have Psoriatic Arthritis, l used to work with a guy who was on Methotrexate for that & he’s now progressed to one of the new biologicals.

For OA they use NSAID’s or COX-2 inhibitors, which l’ve tried but l preferred Meloxicam which is a NSAID

Wishing you better soon Jane 🌷🌷🌷

Angela xx

[SheffieldJane]

Me too. I will come and sit beside you, it sounds comfy, cosy. I expect we should move around a bit but it’s hard to motivate yourself though, when everything hurts.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

That is not typical of steroid withdrawal and even half a mg is enough to be not quite enough to manage the inflammation. The DSNS approach was designed to avoid steroid withdrawal - and slowing it down even further is one way to avoid problems.

You may also have reached a dose at which other things start to resurface - such as OA aches and pains and they commonly respond well to warmth.