Does anyone have experience with herbal supplements for PMR?

[Nhawk]

I am about a month into treatment for PMR. So far 20 mg/day of prednisone is helping, but I still have significant pain in the AM. After talking to my rheumatologist, I just started some turmeric in addition to prednisone. It's too early to tell if it helps. Does anyone have any experience augmenting treatment with turmeric, fish oil, CBD oil or medical marijuana with PMR? Or anything else?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you use the search function you should find plenty of posts about CBD in PMR - but to save you the effort I will say that so far in 12 years I have come across no-one who felt CBD achieved anything notable for the PMR itself although it has been felt to help with sleep and anxiety.

You can use turmeric as long as you aren't on anticoagulant medication - it increases bleeding so many make bruising and development of purpurae and peticheae worse. I do know people who use turmeric, garlic and ginger in cooking and say they could feel the difference if it wasn't being used for any reason.

It is normal for mornings to be worse for symptoms. The inflammatory substances are shed in the body at 4-4.30am and start to create inflammation which causes symptoms unti lthe morning dose of pred takes effect. The sooner after 4am they pred is taken the quicker the effect will be but the ideal time to take pred is between 2 and 3am so the blood level is at its leak before the inflammatory substances appear on the scene, the inflammation never gets a hold.

[piglette]

there are a lot of herbal supplements that people think help, but at the end of the day it is pred that really works, some things people feel helps you sleep, feel more perky etc etc. What most of them do is boost up the coffers of the suppliers.

[Purpleazalia]

Hi Nhawk, there was a post about turmeric a few days ago that might interest you.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

I've tried fish oil supplements a couple of times, but not for long enough to notice any benefits.

[SheffieldJane]

Being prepared to change the time of your meds can make a huge difference. As outlined below by PMRPro. I have done the 2 am and it certainly made my mornings brighter. Now I am on gastric resisted Prednisalone, I find that 5 mgs taken at 5 pm and 5 mgs taken at bedtime seems to get me through the evenings and the mornings. It takes about 6 hours for Pred to get into my system. I sleep in the afternoon and will change this timing of my dose if it stops working.

[Meggsy]

I take m pred at 3am and find it works well.

[Mazxstitch]

I take Pukka turmeric active, 1 capsule a day. Have taken it for about 18 months now, I stopped it for a few weeks, but decided it did help the pain.

[Koalajane]

I have taken turmeric but I honestly do not think it has made any difference and my pain did not increase when I stopped taking it

[benhemp]

I have tried both turmeric and CBD. I didn't find the CBD was any help for pain, but it did seem to improve my sleep somewhat. The turmeric hasn't done anything for my pain, but it does make the pain relief I get from kratom last longer (turmeric is a known potentiator for kratom), so I continue to take turmeric with my kratom.

[Marijo1951]

I took tablets of turmeric with black pepper for a while (the pepper is supposed to enhance the beneficial effects) I can't remember the brand, but it was expensive. However after one bottle of 60 tablets I didn't notice any difference at all. You'd expect 2 months dosage to show some improvement, but no, so I decided it wasn't worth continuing with it. I do use turmeric, pepper and other spices in cooking for the flavour. If they're beneficial to my health, that's a very welcome side effect.

[LIVEORDIEHEREIAM]

Here is a rough guide to foods (and supplements) that can cause additional inflammation. I don't remember where I found this but I do remember that it was a real eye-opener for me!

Foods that can cause inflammation:

Table sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

Artificial trans fats

Vegetable and seed oils

Refined carbohydrates

Excessive alcohol

Processed meat

Cut back or quit using these and it will help, at least it has for me!

Wishing you well!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to LIVEORDIEHEREIAM]

All positives for cutting carbs, especially processed foods, and only using olive oil of the vegetable oils (it has strong anti-inflammatory properties)!

[Nhawk]

Thank you all for all this great information. When I posted, I expected maybe 1 or 2 replies. It feels good to know there is a supportive community out there!

[BabyRuby1]

I’m also on prednisone..with pmr

I have tried every natural supplement including turmeric for inflammation ….about 10 different ones including CBD ..None of them worked for pmr …onlyprednisone worked…I’m now on 2.5 after slow reducing…doing good but some days I have pain but not bad pain