Return of bursitis ?

[Geordieland]

Morning 😊 have tapered slowly to 3 mgs of pred but am finding my old aches and pains in my lower back and left hip are returning ? I had bursitis in my hip and had steroid injections which helped before diagnosed in March 2020 with PMR . The PMR was diagnosed after severe pain in my shoulders and feet . Am wondering if the pred was masking my bursitis and now I'm on a low dose it’s bothering me again ? My GP tells me that PMR doesn’t affect hips ?

[TheMoaningViolet]

It sounds very likely. Just to say that my PMR definitely affected my hips, but never shoulders, so you GP is not quite right there. And I was surprised that pain in feet was considered relevant. Well done on getting down to 3mg which is where I am at the moment. It feels like a big milestone.

[Geordieland in reply to TheMoaningViolet]

I’m really keen to continue with my 1/2 mg reduction per month so have asked to be referred back for an injection in my hip - 13 week wait tho 🥴 ! 🤞 my hip won’t get any worse !

[yogabonnie in reply to Geordieland]

I'm at 3 also. but for the 2nd time..last time was a year and 1/2 ago...when I flared. did you manage every month without problems?? And I would suspect the prednisone covered the pain? but it is carefully carefully tapering from here on I should think! good luck.

[Geordieland in reply to yogabonnie]

Thank you 👍 ! Am due to reduce to 3mgs on Sunday but have decided to stay on 3 for 2 months then reduce by 1/2 mg every 2 months 🤞🤞🤞

[TheMoaningViolet in reply to Geordieland]

I am doing DSNS method and reducing to 2.5mg at the moment (0.5mg increments). The two days I had on 2.5mg so far, I was mostly fine, but got quite edgy in late afternoons (so, adrenals), but no pain so far. At this rate, I will be reducing 0.5mg every 8-9 weeks unless something gets in the way (should I have injury or simar, I would keep repeating the step I got to at that point; otherwise I would worry that I may not be able to recognise a flare). This way, I am able to function like someone without a chronic illness most of the time. Sounds like a good decision regarding the injection, but I would hold off as long as possible since they are not without problems.

I think you could be more flexible with the taper as this is when the battle to awaken the adrenals properly begins. It is not ideal to subject them to yo-yoing with the steroid dose, so I would just take is slowly.

These are low doses and we are lucky to be here. (That said I understand you urge to reduce; I am fighting it every day). Good luck, I hope it all turns out for the best.

[Geordieland in reply to TheMoaningViolet]

Thank you !! 😊🤞

[PMRpro Ambassador]

For goodness sake - where on earth do some GPs get their info!!! PMR affects shoulder and/or hip girdles and when it affects the hips it creates a very typical gait, more like a waddle.

It is also closely allied to myofascial pain syndrome and greater thoracic pain syndrome (formerly known as trochanteric bursitis) which are both improved considerably at higher pred doses and tend to resurface at lower doses. If i can keep them under control then I can get away with a lower dose of oral pred - I usually do but Covid got in the way and stopped the physio and pain clinic sessions,

I too had severe foot and hand pain - not that common but it does happen.

[Geordieland in reply to PMRpro]

As always some excellent advice from you 🎉 I can’t lead with my left leg when go upstairs and that hasn’t happened since before I was on pred 🙁 I’m now thinking I really should go back up to 5mgs and hope it will help ? Advice is that 5mgs is not the worst dose to be on ? I also have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis ( no extreme sports for me 😂 )

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Geordieland]

Look up the two conditions I mentioned- there are bound to be some exercises that would help the piriformis tightness and the trochanteric bursitis

[Geordieland in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you - will do that this evening 👍😊

[HeronNS]

Good grief. My first symptom, long before I was diagnosed, was difficulty standing and taking the first few steps after I'd been sitting for even a few minutes. It was later the neck and shoulders joined the party. My doctor based her diagnosis at least in part on how I was walking. A young neighbour, a student in some sort of medical field, not doctor, remarked to her mother that Mrs ____ must have really bad arthritis, when she saw me struggling up my front steps. I'm sure I had the typical penguin walk! Oh just thinking about those days, I am so very lucky now, in spite of the rigours of creeping old age!

[Geordieland in reply to HeronNS]

I just don’t want to go back to my “ John Wayne “ walk 😂😂