I was on 4mg pred down from 5mg and developed a sharp knife like pain in my hip just where the leg joins slightly towards the back. As soon as I reduced the pain started . I managed to get a phone app with doc and he agreed I should try 6mg in case it was connected to my pmr. The pain has reduced slightly so am hoping it's nothing more sinister like needing hip replacement.Does anyone think it may be connected to pmr.
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Bee2222
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Oh I hope not. A reduction in Pred does seem to expose arthritis, if it’s there. Although I do hear amazing reports of the hip replacement operation these days.
I see 6 months ago you were down to 3mg after only a year, and I think we said at the time you had reduced too quickly...you have obviously increased again since then.
To what, and how have you reduced since? Finding yourself in similar position, I would again say you are trying to reduce too quickly.
You may find the 6mg works, it is does then stay there for a decent time - 4 weeks, and then try reducing by 0.5mg a time in future.
What makes you think it's arthritis, have you been diagnosed with OA?
I am going to stay on 6mg for a while to see if the hip pain goes. If not doc said to get in touch as it may be something else . Fingers crossed don't want ship replacement as well as everything else 🤔
Sounds the right sort of place for trochanteric bursitis (now called greater trochanteric pain syndrome which sounds awful but does cover more and fits better). If so, it can be allied to PMR but can also occur on its own.
Before my PMR was diagnosed I had bursitis and really thought I was heading for a hip replacement despite only being in my 50s. After starting pred it took a few months for the sharp pain to go entirely but it did go. It is fine at higher doses of pred for my PMR but it does flare up now and again and I have had good treatment of a various sorts from both the physio dept and the pain clinic here where I live in Italy.
It should be possible, with imaging studies, to determine if hip surgery is a consideration. I have only one comment: If hip replacement is suggested: Only consider an ANTERIOR approach!!!
To me it sounds like bursitis. I had that, extremely painful especially walking up the stairs or uphill. I had an Xray on hip, just normal wear & tear. The pain was sharp and stabbing especially when prodded by doc. Physio helped and paracetamol and hot pad & cold peas. Rest was the answer. Took about 8 weeks to go. No new hip needed!
I get a lot of hip pain & thought this is common with PMR! As I reduce my pred im finding I have a lot of arthritis that was masked by the ore dk & my rheumy actually said this is the case & I may get more trouble as I decrease! I’m now seeing specialists re foot & hand arthritis & wondering if hips are joining in..just for fun! I’ve gone back up to 5mg from 3mg on doctor’s advice. He said he keeps quite a few if his patients on 5mg, so I may be battling to stop taking steroids completely, but that may just cause me a lot more arthritis pain! Just food for thought, & hope your pain subsides! I suggest there could be several reasons, & consulting medical advice may be a good idea?!
I was diagnosed with PMR in October 1018 and treated with Prednisolone until the beginning of December 2020 when I was able to stop taking the steroid. Fortunately, I had no problem stopping though I did follow the good advice given on this site to taper VERY slowly. When I was diagnosed, I had pain in my neck, shoulders, and hip girdle. As soon as I started taking Pred (within 1 hour), the pain in my upper body disappeared never to return but the pain in my hip girdle only decreased somewhat. At times it seemed to worsen and I was sent after a year to see an orthopedic surgeon who categorically ruled out my need for new hips. About a year later (just when I had come off the Pred) I was told by another orthopedic surgeon that indeed I needed a hip replacement in both hips. I have always felt that the fast deterioration of my hips had something to do with the Pred that I took for more than two years but I don't know for sure. I had the right hip replaced in March with great success and am now awaiting an appointment to have the left one done. I wish you all the best.
It’s recommended to drop 10% at a time- and this is more critical at low doses. Dropping from 5 to 4 mgm is much more than that. I actually can only drop 1/4 mgm . I had many cases of bursitis in the last five years I have polymyalgia. Actually I feel like in remission because I have no pain no matter what dose. My main problem is sluggish adrenals. Whenever I got a steroid shot in my hip for bursitis I got wonderful results after about a week. This injection is absorbed in the whole body over that week and you’ll probably feel much better all over because you’re loaded with steroids for that short time. Diabetics will see an increase in her blood sugar for about a week. I have hypoglycemia and it was much improved after my last shot for hip bursitis.
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