SPINAL STENOSIS and prednisolone

[Reethebeat]

Hi everybody, some weeks ago I mentioned spinal stenosis and the long wait to see physios. I have now seen musculaskeletal depatment. As I now have trouble walking 25 yards without sitting down, failure to sit down means my legs and feet go numb, and I am at risk of falling. Surgery has been suggested to release pressure on nerves in spine. Its interesting that as I am now off pred. (for a few months now) the numbness has really got bad. I wonder if taking pred. disguised these systems slightly by being anti inflammatory. I am also convinced that pred. has a bad effect on bones taken long term, despite medical views to the contrary. Your comments would be appreciated. Take care everyone.

[Purplecrow]

Hi, FYI, I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis just prior to diagnosis of PMR in 2013. Surgery for the stenosis was successful and provided relief for pain and leg numbness. Prednisone for PMR has successfully managed PMR symptoms, and after 6 years, I still have zero negative effects from the Prednisone.

[HeronNS]

In fact medical opinion is prednisone can negatively affect bone density. It doesn't always, and in any case this effect can be greatly mitigated through nutrition and exercise. I do believe, however, that pred can weaken muscles and this in turn can cause greater stress on joints, etc., so it's important to maintain some sort of exercise regimen while on pred in order to counteract that possible side effect.

[Purplecrow in reply to HeronNS]

I wish you were wrong...but I fear you are correct. My lower body muscles are mushy and totally not as they should be. I have neglected exercise for 6 years, and the price is high. I have chronic arthritis pain in lower back, and all that is left is to get back to my gym. Now, if I could just find where I left my motivation......🤕

[Hidden in reply to Purplecrow]

It's very hard to get the muscle tone back. I lost weight too so skin saggy.y lower back is a mess really and I can have firmish leg muscles then next they are flaccid as the sciatica kick in. Whenever I sit or lay I tense my muscles as a routine.

[Purplecrow in reply to Hidden]

Good reminder, Previously I learned to exercise quad muscles, prepping for knee surgery. It helped. Its time to do that again...no surgery, just return to stable mobility.

💜🙏🏽 Jerri

[HeronNS in reply to Purplecrow]

As was suggested to a man in his 80s on the Patient forum who was at the time practically wheelchair bound: do a little every day. Even a couple of minutes. Soon that becomes five, then ten minutes. Well, he did! And within a few months he was back to his job as a ski instructor! It's like saving money. That advice about paying yourself first really worked for me. My first job after years as a stay at home mum was actually nine hours a week minimum wage. The first thing I did was spend what savings I had at the time on a computer for the family and, because I was now earning money, every month put aside the minimum amount ($25 at that time) into a mutual fund which I never touched. As my job improved, better pay and higher level work, I doubled the amount. After some years I had enough money to take myself and two of my children on holiday in Egypt. Upon return I doubled the amount saved again, as I was now earning a reasonable amount, although still part time, and was able to pay my share of a cruise in the Mediterranean and later an art tour in the Netherlands. Recently I spent an equivalent amount taking nine family members on a short holiday to Prince Edward Island. And this is all from the seed of $25 back in 1995.

Exercise when recovering from PMR can be like that. Trust me!

[Purplecrow in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks for the tip, I have felt pretty battered by all the health issues that have arisen in past few years. Mostly I have coped by just stopping.....Exercise, creativity, social outings, etc., etc.

Occasionally, now...6 years into this journey, I get glimpses of the end of the tunnel, and at that,...I near panic at the enormity of recovery challenges. I have begun walking up stairs, more each day...until they are relatively easier today than yesterday... but still so far to go.

Your advice is appreciated...thank you. All your trips sound wonderful! Where will u go next?!

💜🙏🏽 Jerri

PMR diagnosed 2013, currently 7 mg pred

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Can't really speak to the spinal stenosis except to say there are a few people on the forums who have been there.

As for the pred and bones factor - it depends on the person. After over 7 years on pred, mostly at IRO 10mg and more, my bone density had barely changed even though I didn't take a bisphosphonate, just calcium and vit D. Two other ladies who had GCA ,so high dose pred to start and pred for 5 years or so, also had no change in bone density, and neither of them even took calcium and vit D supplements for different reasons. There are plenty of others with similar stories on the forums.

It is said that 40% of patients on pred develop osteoporosis. The figure quoted in the USA is that 50% of the general population develop osteoporosis - pred or not osteoporosis happens.