Taking ibuprofen daily, once off Prednisolone, is it harmful ?

[Majellamary]

I’ve been off Prednisolone for 3 weeks now, but still have some shoulder and neck pain, is it safe to take ibuprofen 400 mgs daily. It seems to get me through 24 hrs. Pain worse at night.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you can get away with such a low dose and it isn't for long then it is probably OK - but do watch out for stomach problems,

[tangocharlie]

Maybe you still have a bit of PMR and still need a low dose of Pred?

[Triumph650]

ibuprofen is not good for women I was told by my wife the nurse. I think stomach problems etc

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Triumph650]

I don't think stomach problems with ibuprofen is limited to women!!!

[Hidden]

My doctor actually rang me and told me not to take ibuprofen as it affects the kidneys.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

So what CAN you take? Paracetamol can also lead to liver and kidney damage if overused and all analgesics carry the risk of organ damage of some sort, mainly renal.

None of us here would encourage regular use of painkillers for PMR - not least because they don't work. However, many doctors will try to get patients to use NSAIDs, thinking them safer than pred (I'd dispute that but it is a fight). And sometimes you need a painkiller for a couple of doses - for a headache or acute back problem. And that is usually OK.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

He recommended paracetamol instead. I have a history of kidney disease so perhaps ibuprofen is a bad alternative. I rarely take any pain killers anyway. I know when I had my kidney removed at the age of 22 the surgeon said I must never take a particular pain killer but I could never remember which so didn't take any.

[bakingD]

Have you tried Paracetamol?

[ipsidipsy]

I saw a post from Dorsetlady where she mentioned that she foundCBD cream helpful for joint pain. Since trying it for my knees and shoulder I have found it to be so helpful in alleviating the pain I was suffering in fact the knee pain was so bad that it kept me awake at night but if I apply the CBD before going to bed I experience no pain at all. I get mine from Holland and Barrett. It might be helpful for your problem

[PMRnewbie2017]

I think it rather depends on why you have pain and what is the site of the pain. Is it joints? Is it muscular? Is it myofascial pain syndrome? Have you developed fibromyalgia?Paracetamol is a very under rated pain killer but it has no anti-inflammatory action. All medicines have side effects and these must be balanced against the benefits. I try to give examples based on experience and I have found the following....

For some months now I have burning soreness at the top of right and left arms in the regions of the deltoid muscle. That's the part of the upper arm where intra-muscular injections are given. It comes and goes and night times doses of Ibuprofen or Naproxen sort it out. I am a side sleeper and I wonder if it's pressure related? When the muscles are sore it does make removing clothes over my head difficult - a classic PMR symptom. I have increased my Pred in the past thinking it was a flare but adding 5mg making my daily dose 10mg made no difference whatsoever. I've learned to live with it. PMR and years of Pred really does take its toll on our muscles.

As PMRpro said, there is no gender bias with Ibuprofen or other NSAID's. They can cause kidney problems because of the way they are metabolised and excreted but typical doses of 400mg Ibuprofen up to three times a day or 250mg Naproxen three times daily or 500mg twice daily, always taken at a meal time, shouldn't cause problems in the majority of people.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to PMRnewbie2017]

Your deltoid problem - my physio here identified it as myofascial pain syndrome and worked on the "sticky bits" in the attachments and muscle fascia.

[PMRnewbie2017 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks Eileen, I was thinking it was that. I do massage the trigger points but they're blinking painful!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to PMRnewbie2017]

They are and she does elicit a lot of squeaks on my part - but the end result is worth it