Ibuprofen

[Hughie1951]

I’m just starting the staged taper from 3mg to 2mg prednisolone . I’ve led a life that has entailed a lot of wear and tear on my shoulders and hamstrings and knees. I’d like to differentiate pain from worn out joints etc and PMR. Prednisone will be having an ameliorative effect on this as well as damping down my PMR. I’m told ibuprofen won’t have any effect on PMR pain; it certainly didn’t when I started this journey, before diagnosis. If I take ibuprofen and the aches and pains go is it safe to assume that these are due to pre existing damage? Or not………

[SheffieldJane]

It is not recommended to take Ibuprofen and similar anti-inflammatory drugs with Prednisalone. It is too harsh on the stomach and can even cause stomach bleeds unfortunately. You are right in saying that if the pains ease significantly then they are unlikely to be PMR pains. I may have been deficient but my high dose Omega3 Fish oil seems to have improved both my arthritic pain and sore eyes recently. The wet weather was playing havoc with my knees. Sometimes Amitriptyline can be soothing in bed at night just 10 mgs an hour before sleep.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

No Ibuprofen - it’s a NSAIDs - a no, no with Pred - both affect stomach - in Pred patients information leaflet. A flooding dose used as a on-off is okay occasionally , but not taken regularly.

Can you try another painkiller - paracetamol or Co-cocodamol are okay with Pred.

Ibruprofen gel, used very sparingly or Flexiseq- designed for OA as long as not bone-on -bone. Bit pricey but cheaper in a well known online company.

flexiseq.com

My sympathies, been in same situation

[Hughie1951 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you both. It’s a sort of rock and hard place situation. I think I thought I was having a flare when I last dropped to 2mg. I know wonder whether it was my other conditions coming to the fore concomitant with the decrease in pred. My blood parameters were OK but my GP increased my dosage but I’m thinking I may have missed a trick. I’ve got lansoprazole if I do take ibuprofen; it’d only be for a few days only as a diagnostic measure. Take your point though; I’ll try some paracetamol first.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hughie1951]

Good idea - but perhaps you could also try - at a different time, not simultaneously, reducing by just 0.5mg a time and/or a slower taper if not already.

0.5mg at such low doses can really make a difference to your PMR.

[piglette]

You can use cocadamol, it is not an NSAID.

[Bcol]

Hi Hughie, I have OA as well as PMR and, when needed, use Co-Codamol. 30/500. May be worth asking the doc for a prescription although you can buy the lower dosage over the counter.