Hip problems from Pred?

[Pirnilla]

You know when problems occur, other than Pmr pain, I mean, you always ask yourself if it comes from me being on cortisone for a longer time.

Since April I have had quite severe problems with my left hip. This is not My Pmr, it is more like arthrose or impegniment syndrome. Can it be that my joint is suffering from my Pred treatment? Someone said that artritis can start after cortisone treatment?

Maybe somebody in here knows more?

I have artritis in my family but my physiotherapist thinks I am to young for that.

[scats]

I've seen children with arthritis. I don't think you can be too young.

A lot of us here have had hip replacements there may be a connection but others will know more than me. Good luck to you in getting this sorted.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As scats says younger people do get arthritis (usually rheumatoid as opposed to osteo) -but if you are over 50 then it’s very likely to be OA

Have a look at these links -

nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarth...

versusarthritis.org/about-a...

As for coming on after steroid treatment, I think if it’s there, it’s there - and higher doses of steroids mask the pain - which is why it reappears as you get to lower doses.

[suzy1959]

I must say that I have often wondered if there is a connection between PMR, Pred. and OA. I had no signs of OA until 2 years into my PMR journey (age 54) . Now, 5 years later, I have had a hip replacement, a knee replacement and now need the other hip and knee replacing. My OA has been extremely painful all that time and so my mobility has been severely affected for 5 years. The PMR has persisted at the same level all this time.

I have blamed this rapid deterioration on my weight which was heavy before the Pred. and has since been even worse, but find it hard to believe it is responsible for it all.

I asked my Rheumy if he thought there was any connection and he said no. An Orthopaedic surgeon told me that Pred. damages the cartilage. Who is right?

[piglette]

I was a trustee for Arthritis Care and we had people in their twenties with osteoarthritis, although rheumatoid us more common, not to mention children with juvenile arthritis. Sadly it can hit us all. I did read somewhere that forty nine out of fifty people will have some form of arthritis in their lives. Of course that may just be a stiff finger in some cases. I also read arthritis takes up twenty five per cent of GP prescribing. I don’t know how true that is.

My orthopaedic surgeon did say that steroids can cause cartilidge to be eaten away.

[Pirnilla in reply to piglette]

That's what I suspected. I will now try to get an appointment with an orthopedist to find out what is wrong.

[piglette in reply to Pirnilla]

Best of luck. It is always good to get a diagnosis from an expert.

[Lochy]

My rheumatologist told me they don’t believe steroids damage cartilage after an in house study her department did on cartilage. This is nothing official I believe, not published etc. I was querying as I was about to have my third steroid injection in my knee and was concerned about deterioration of cartilage etc. She inferred it maybe harder if I was a top athlete but then I’d be presenting with different symptoms and my whole physique would be different.

I’ll never know I suppose but I’m hoping she’s right!