Pain from PMR or Osteoarthritis? : I was diagnosed... - PMRGCAuk

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Pain from PMR or Osteoarthritis?

Trulyscrumpious profile image
23 Replies

I was diagnosed with PMR 6 years ago, and got down to 5mg Pred about 3 years ago. I’ve tried to go lower but never succeeded. I am nearly 84 and also suffer from Osteoarthritis. I had a hip replacement just over 5 years ago, which went wrong, and has left me with a limp and backache after walking or standing more than about 10 minutes. A knee replacement was successful 2 years ago but now my other knee is painful. I should have had a cortisone injection in March but it was cancelled of course. A replacement shoulder was also cancelled- l was about to go for my pre-op. So l am full of aches and pains from all this. It hurts to put too much weight on my walking stick because of me shoulder. I can’t exercise very much but have started doing online Pilates, a sitting version for Seniors! It makes me feel l am doing something but hasn’t really helped much yet. The trouble is that l have never found a painkiller that helps me. I can't take ibuprofen or aspirin because of reflux and they used to help a bit. After my hip they tried oral morphine to no effect. So l am not sure whether my pain is OA or a flare up. I have wondered whether to go up to 10mg Pred to see if the pain improves but am reluctant to with Covik around.

I live alone but my daughters pop in every few days.

Sorry to moan but its good to be able to share this

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Trulyscrumpious
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23 Replies
DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

Sorry to hear about your issues...and you’re not moaning, just trying to find a solution.

Fortunately I managed to get my shoulder replacement in February, but physio got cut short... and it seems to be taking ages to get full movement back...but at least I can sleep on that side now. Like you I could do with a cortisone injection in other one though....but one day, one day!

Good move to do the sitting pilates - well done - I did similar during lockdown, but managed to get back to real thing last week - a bit apprehensive- but all okay.

Can you take paracetamol (not very strong, but might help a little) or co-codamol, both ok with Pred (you shouldn’t take Ibruprofen) - but c-c is apt to lead to constipation if used too much!

It’s sometimes difficult to know what pain is what illness sometimes - but maybe trying 10mg for just a few days might help.....and If you don’t stay on it too long you can drop back down to 5mg. That might give you a better idea if the pain is PMR or OA... actually I suspect a bit of both!

Take care.

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane in reply to DorsetLady

I agree with DorsetLady and I would increase the Pred to see if you can obtain relief in these peculiar times. We have no idea how long this situation will last and our indicated treatments are unavailable. Unless the doctor has particular worries about you, I would take more. It is bound to help both conditions in my experience. Well done for the Pilates! I find it hard to motivate myself these days.

I wonder if a different style of walking aid would help more. I keep seeing this American upright one, feather light, folds into to boot. It looks better than the old rollator where you bend over and it carries your shopping and a small grandchild. They advertise it on my favourite movie channel, Talking Pictures, it’s not cheap though and you are worth it.

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply to SheffieldJane

Morning Jane! Most people using walkers are using them wrongly. There is no reason to bend the back, it is advised that you walk between the handles NOT behind them. My back is straighter using my walker, especially in shops, etc, because otherwise I would have to grab on to anything available as I go along.

Sorry you are having such a rotten time lately. Difficult to keep cheerful.😏

C xxx

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane in reply to Constance13

This is valuable information for trulyscrumptious, if considering a more comfortable way to get about.

Thanks for your wishes it is difficult to keep upbeat. I hope you do, you are a positive voice on here. X

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply to SheffieldJane

I certainly try!🥰

For my age I really am doing quite - no REALLY - well. I do have my off days, of course, but that's only to be expected.

Hugs xx

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to SheffieldJane

Yes - to join Constance - rollators need to be height set for the person and they shouldn't mean you bending over at all.

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to SheffieldJane

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m going to try 10mg for a few days. I don’t use a walker at present though l do have one from past knee trouble. I walk best with a shopping trolley- could just do with one! May try the walker again though, good idea. Thanks.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to Trulyscrumpious

That's all the rollators are - a more portable shopping trolley! They really are worth considering. Not least because if you get the right one you always have a seat available!

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to DorsetLady

Thanks so much for such a quick response. You’ve given me the push l needed to try increasing to 10mg for a few days. As far as pain killers go l’ve tried everything. Paracetemol is like taking sweeties and useless. Even co- cod 30/500 doesn’t help the pain though l do take 2 at night and it helps me sleep. I also have to take movicol to prevent constipation! I think you are right , my pain is a mix of PMR and OA.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to Trulyscrumpious

Ordinary painkillers almost never to anything for PMR - even morphine!

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to PMRpro

I realise that but for me they don’t do anything for every other sort of pain.

123mossie profile image
123mossie

Sorry to hear you’ve got so much pain, I’ve got a similar issue with right hip pain. I didn’t know if it was pmr or oa. It didn’t respond to increasing Pred, eventually found out it was osteoarthritis. I put myself on ibuprofen with dr permission & added in 8/500 cocodamol if I needed a bit more (not good for the bowels!). My gp thinks as I was tapering I got the oa pain. I’m no expert on pmr but it would be good to know if you get relief from adding 5mgm for a while?

Well done doing Pilates, every little helps, hope you feel better soon.

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 123mossie

“My gp thinks as I was tapering I got the oa pain”. You may have had it all the time, but not realised because higher doses of Pred mask the pain.

123mossie profile image
123mossie in reply to DorsetLady

Yes I think so, we cant win can we!🙂

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 123mossie

No... but it would be nice to come 2nd sometimes!

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to 123mossie

Thanks. You’ll see from my reply to Dorset Lady that l haven’t found any painkiller to help. But l am going to try upping the Pred to 10mg for a few days. I can’t take ibuprofen because of my reflux.

Trevgrrl profile image
Trevgrrl

Truly Scrumptious, I like your name. Yesterday I was in a great deal of what I think is PMR pain, the pain in shoulders, side, legs. Knowing I had to go to labs today and be busy, I took an extra prednisone last night. I know it is wrong, or feel it is wrong, but it helps so much, and I've had a better day. I am way over you in mg of pred, which is bad so my dr says. 22.5

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Trevgrrl

Your illness needs what it needs - irrespective of what the doctor thinks!

And, no it’s not wrong to increase, but try not to do it too often.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to Trevgrrl

And by taking that extra you may have sent the blood markers down so your doctor doesn't see if your dose was too low. If 22.5mg pred isn't managing PMR pain then your doctor needs to be investigating what else might be going on.

Trevgrrl profile image
Trevgrrl in reply to PMRpro

Oh gosh, I usually think of that. Oh, well.

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to Trevgrrl

It must be hard having to go to work. At least l don’t have that problem. If taking the extra pred occasionally helps l would go for it, but not too often.

Whippetygirl profile image
Whippetygirl

Please do not think for one moment that you are moaning , you have so much going on at the moment that a lesser person would have jumped off the roof by now. That is if we could get up there in the first place, not easy when half our bits and pieces have stopped co- operating. It must be a great comfort to you that your daughters are close by and pop by to see you. I am 75yrs old and live alone with my two dogs, my two daughters also live very close by and pop in most days, and I treasure every single visit. I hope you get some answers to your health issues, it is not easy living with all the uncertainties at the moment, this perishing virus has a lot to answer for. Try and look after your self and stay safe.x

Trulyscrumpious profile image
Trulyscrumpious in reply to Whippetygirl

What a lovely reply. Thank you so much. I started on 10mg yesterday but no improvement yet so it looks as if it is the arthritis and not PRM which is the main culprit. And thanks to Sheffield Jane‘s idea l got the girls to get my walker down from the loft. It has a seat so is ideal and walked round the village just now, and could sit when the back ache set in. It recovers after about 5 minutes rest.

I have a cat, she’s quite a character and gives me something to get up for, with her rapturous welcome!

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