I am newly diagnosed with PMR after many years of thinking old age was treating me badly. I have felt like a stone statue when trying to get going after sitting. Reading the posts here I haven't experienced the same areas of pain as others but 15 mg prednisolone has worked unbelievably on my joints and muscles and surprisingly my mental health, I feel positively europhic. GP asked me to reduce to 12.5 after 3 weeks but this was difficult with the pains coming back so I am back up to 15 mg to reduce by 1 mg in 3 week's time. My question is does the prednisolone take the pain away from conditions that may not be PMR eg osteoarthritis etc, because I know I suffer this in my neck and hands and that pain has also gone with the pred. Therefore when I reduce pred I assume the arthritis pains will return. My question is how do I know what is what?
Prednisolone not just for PMR?: I am newly... - PMRGCAuk
Prednisolone not just for PMR?
Most definitely high dose masks other pains……and depending on where your arthritis is it may be a bit difficult to tell, especially if neck and both hands affected.
PMR is almost (but not exclusively) bilateral….arthritis isn’t always — usually one knee or hip may be worse than the other. …and a topical gel or painkillers e.g. paracetamol (not NSAIDs - ibruprofen etc) may help arthritis, they do nothing for PMR itself.
But most people “know” the difference, and hopefully it won’t be for a while before the OA pains reappear, so you’ll understand what is PMR and what isn’t by then.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and I'll take on board your advice about paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Most people find pred deals with other inflammation too - and there is an inflammatory component to OA. On the other hand - sometimes the pain of PMR has been hanging around for a long time and not identified.
Hi Doorstep. Good question and yes it is difficult when the pred which does mask other pains is at a level which is working .As you reduce it other symptoms/pains/niggles, will show through and you'll be on here asking for advice like the rest of us. Some are known and some are new. Unfortunately there is no standard answer as far as I can work out. As others have said, welcome to the club no one wanted to join.
Pred does pretty much mask all the ‘Old War Wounds’ as l describe them, l think that’s why you often feel so much better once you start treatment. You bob along nicely then as you reduce an old twinge reminds you & only you know if it’s PMR & old injuries/OA
I have an Achilles Issues & that pulls me up sharpish when l’m reducing! And the old creaks in the knees & achy back….
So you do need to be a bit of a detective really.
Good Luck
MrsN
I notice you have Tinnitus, is it longstanding or new?
I think DorsetLady pretty much nailed it.
The only thing I would add is depending on your level of arthritis, it can come and go depending on a number of factors (activity, weather, etc). With PMR, if you're experiencing pain/flare, it's pretty consistent and doesn't just go away like arthritis can.
So yes, I think you should be able to tell the difference.
Though PMR can be a bit picky about weather too!!!
Thank you for that. I've been wonder about this the last couple of weeks as it can get pretty cold here in Canada sometimes.
Personally low temps per se aren't the problem - it is damp/humidity, especially with wind, that gets me. If it is dry then even -10C in the day isn't a problem if I'm properly dressed. OTOH, Canada can be a lot friskier than that! But the UK can be well above freezing but with wind and rain - OUCH!
Yes, reminds me of the summer of 2008 when my wife and I went to visit my sister and family when she lived in Plymouth, England at the time. It was so bad, my sister had her winter coat on and said it doesn't get this cold in December. Of course, we didn't bring the proper clothing for this type of weather with us from Canada. All in all, it was such a nice holiday regardless.
If you were like that in Plymouth it's as well the family didn't live in Newcastle!!
I think I read you live in Italy. In 2019, we went to my nieces wedding held in Chelsea. A couple of days after that we went to guess where? Yep, Amalfi Coast (1 week), and then back to the UK. Now that was the best holiday I've ever had!I did want to take a train by myself and visit the Crucible in Sheffield but decided it was too far for a day trip. That's about as far north I would have gone.
I haven't actually been to the Amalfi coast - I have been to southern Italy, just not there or Rome. I live right up in the north, almost in Austria. Not quite as warm here!
It's intense but dry cold in Canada isn't it ? wet cold over here is so penetrating. Not dangerous like dry cold but unbearable. I think it the worst type.
The answer is it depends on the type of winter we're having, but in general 'yes', its likely to be a cold dry winter here. There's also been times where I've only had to shovel the snow off the driveway a couple of times in a winter.
On the other hand, for work, I've flown to Frankfurt, Germany and taken a limo down to Mannheim where it was colder, and they had more snow than we did. I have a feeling this would be a similar climate to where PMRpro lives.
Thanks for you reply. Yes the arthritis always turns up a notch when summer turns to autumn.
Inflammatory Arthritis I think. PMRPro posted about this yesterday I think. My osteoarthritis has worsened over the 5 years I have had PMR/GCA/LVV and the pains are apparent even when PMR is quiet. Especially knees and neck. It is not as bothersome as PMR pain though, even though I sometimes cry out coming downstairs.
SJ. been meaning to ask. Did your LVV develop from PMR/GCA, ?
You might like this:
academic.oup.com/rheumatolo...
That is useful containing new perspectives for me. Thanks for posting.
I've referred to it loads of times - have you really not seen it before?
Pay attention at the back there! 😉
I probably wouldn't mention it but the pictures are good and easy to get the gist as a result 
Yes. I had PMR for 5 years, I had got down to 3 mgs of Prednisalone but I didn’t really feel right. Following a specialist ultrasound scan that looked at my arteries I was diagnosed with GCA/LVV. Not the typical jaw claudication, unusual headache and eye symptoms, typical presentation. The tell tale halo effect was spotted in the artery in my left armpit. An early sign was differing blood pressure readings in my arms ( 10 points).
sorry to hear that but at least it gave an answer to what must have been troubling you. I'm wondering if I have something on to of these 2 . Time will tell as I'm not on a low enough dose yet. keep smiling.
Relapsing as you taper is a red flag. I was stuck at 7 mgs for a year.
will be on 27.5 tomorrow. Will see. Slight signs of GCA appearing so maybe 30 is where I am stuck for a while. Bed.
This morning everything fine so a good nights rest seems to have settled things. Fascinating disease if annoying and worrying.
Glad to hear this cycli 😊
Not a bedfellow any of us would choose but engaging with it and managing it is key. You seem to have got this early. Most of us wrestle with it for ages before the acceptance ( not defeat) comes.
I've refined my AAA. Accept it, Acclaim it, Adjust to it.
🌟
Treat yourself to one tube of Max Flexiseq for the Osteo. I would not be able to walk upstairs never mind down without Flexi - BTW it is not a drug, it works like WD40.
ARC research and a German Pharmaceutical company.
My husband and I use Flexiseq since you recommended it previously. I need to be more consistent in my use of it. Thanks for the reminder.
Does it help you?
I use it twice a day, one tube sits on my bedside table (morning) , the other one is in the kitchen next to where I make my last cup of tea for the day.
We definitely think that it is unusually helpful amongst this type of product. Thank you!!
Thanks for your reply and the link.
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