Flare up or something else?

[skipspmr]

I've been on the dead slow tapering and got down to 3 mg when I got and still have a painful right buttocks emanating to the small of my back so to see if it was a flareup of PMR I went to 5 mg for 4 days and no change so I'm assuming the pain is not PMR and went to 4 mg for 2 days and now I'm back to 3 mg with no change in the pain. My plan is now to just continue with the dead slow tapering and ignore the pain. I'd appreciate any comments. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Sounds like piriformis syndrome - buttock pain is typical of that.

spine-health.com/conditions....

I have it too and it is much better at higher doses of pred - but I'm far from sure that just adding 2mg to your current dose for a few days would be enough. On the other hand - you don't really want to go back up just for that, There are stretches that may help so try them first. Heat or ice and heat may help - heat only for me but when it is acute I take a flooding dose of ibuprofen (800mg) and sit with a hot water bottle over the scaroiliac joint and that often is all that is needed.

[skipspmr in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you.

[fmkkm]

Hi,

Same thing is happening to me. I’m now going from 4 to 3.5 mg. It’s not easy, I guess I’m 5 years older so all the aches that pred covers are now coming out.

[skipspmr in reply to fmkkm]

Thank you.

[pollyg263]

i have been off pren for 6 month now, and had buttock pian since, but all of a sudden its gone, i just think its your muscles still trying to get back to normal. as my phisio said the same about my shoulder pain, he gave me exersizes to strengthen my shoulder pain, 2 weeks back and i have been doing them and my shoulder does feel much better. so we will see what happens next . good luck

[skipspmr in reply to pollyg263]

Thank you.

[Hidden]

I am not sure but my experience is similar. I have reduced from 15 to 5 and clearly have greater levels of stiffness I wonder if it's just old age or PMR? The discomfort is tolerable so I am persisting and booked a blood test for today to check the CRP level. I suspect that having been pain free on 15mgs all aches and pains are masked by PRED and reduction highlights normal stiffness and not a flare. Only time will tell good luck

[skipspmr in reply to Hidden]

Thank you.