Sacroiliac pain and stiffness

[Caradomben]

Hi I am down to 1mg prednisolone and now getting pain in buttocks and sacroiliac joints . Could this be a flare up ?

[Blearyeyed]

It could , but it could also be Sciatica or other Nerve and Muscle Pain and stiffness brought on by the cold weather or more activity as you recover.

Try taking Paracetamol as recommended ( every 8 hours) and increase fluids.

Increase magnesium , vitamins B, D, A, and C in your diet or as part of a vitamin supplement .

Try using a heat pad and rubbing a joint cream or lotion into the area .

If heat doesn't work , try ice packs , at most 20 mins at one time and joint lotion.

Gentle stretching exercises for Sciatica and Thigh / Groin tightness, on the bed or standing and some light walking will also help if the Pain is Nerve or Muscle related.

If this does not improved the symptoms , or it starts to feel more like PMR Pain and gets worse , you could try increasing the dose to the one prior to your 1 mg drop .

You may need to increase more , or get some medical advice and physio if it isn't PMR , so if the symptoms continue you should go and discuss it with your GP.

[SusanEleven in reply to Blearyeyed]

Caradomben I’m at 2.5 mg prednisone and I’ve been experiencing this. My personal test is whether or not ibuprofen works on the pain since it never did a thing for PMR pain.

In my case the answer is yes, ibuprofen helps my pain, so I’m thinking it’s not my PMR (4+ years so far).

I do have osteoarthritis in lots of places and the pain was masked at higher doses of Prednisone. I miss that! Plus the cold damp weather that has settled on my area seems to have made everything ache more.

I looked up videos on YouTube from physical therapists and do stretching exercises for hips and lower back. It has helped. I take an occasional ibuprofen. When I have my regular rheumatology appointment in December I’ll also see what she thinks.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It would be for me - but I know that from the experience of many years! Just had a touch this week and decided to go back up the dose by 1mg. Feel a lot better.

[PMRnewbie2017]

Please note!!!!!!!

The dose for paracetamol is two tablets four times a day, spaced approx six hours apart. Do not take 8 every hour!

The max daily intake is 4 grams (8x 500mg tablets).

In case anyone thinks no one would take 8 hourly, patients do. I have seen it happen and liver failure from paracetamol overdose is often fatal. Sadly even after methionine is given as an antidote, patients will go into liver failure a few days later.