Licorice...no such thing as a daft question?

[Newplodder]

Hi all. I'm newly diagnosed with PMR. Started on 15mg of prednisolone and have been taking that for last 16 days. I'm much improved, but still have pain and stiffness, albeit it manageable for first half of the day. I improve by the mid afternoon. I think I'm being sensible ie reduced my activity and improving my diet. I'm not sure whether I need more than 15mg , but obviously don't want to unnecessarily increase the dose if things may improve over the next couple of weeks . So here's the thing...I've tried to look into licorice and can only find old posts about people trying to use it to help with reducing pred. NHS website just says don't take it as it increases effects of pred. This is the point for me....I'm wondering whether adding some in may actually improve my reaction to the current level of pred, without me having to increase the pred itself.

I'm really asking has anyone else ever tried it, or have any concrete reasons as to why experimenting with it may be a bad idea.

I have no confidence in my GPs knowledge of PMR.

Hope it isn't a daft suggestion....

Thanks all

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I have wondered that too - could it be a steroid sparer! However - I think the greater risk is that it enhances the adverse effects too. I certainly found that with methotrexate. Yes, it can be a steroid sparer, but for me all it seemed to do was make me experience pred adverse effects I had never had before!!!

[Newplodder in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks again for your reply. A fair point, well made. It hadn't even occurred to me about it possibly affecting the side effects too! Doh!!!

[borednow in reply to PMRpro]

Well that's a shame. I was getting quite excited for a brief moment - I love liquorice allsorts.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to borednow]

Ah - is it the licorice you like or the licorice FLAVOUR? If it is the flavour it isn't all licorice that should be avoided. If it has been deglycyrrhizinised - it is fine! And not all brands of allsorts have licorice ...

delishably.com/desserts/Can...

[Nuff1]

Licorice has been known to raise blood pressure

[Newplodder in reply to Nuff1]

Thank you, yes I've read that. But therefore could be good for me then in that my BP is on the low side anyway....getting even lower since taking pred🤫

[MrsNails]

There is a Post in FAQ’s on Liquorice you may find helpful.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

FAQ post -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Daffodilia]

Liquorice contains a natural steroid I think so I guess it should be avoided if on pred

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Daffodilia]

Just in natural licorice ...

[cycli]

amazing what we have up here in the Dales, liquorice mines. As for liquorice allsorts, they have too much sugar for our condition borednow

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to cycli]

Depends how many you eat!!!!

[cycli in reply to PMRpro]

so true

[Blossom20]

Yes, I was given liquorice and ashwaghanda by a herbalist. It made me feel fantastic, high and happy! But my heart beat was affected and my blood pressure went up, so I stopped it. Shame!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blossom20]

Neither are recommended alongside pred