good evening i think I have the same as you. I reduced down to 3.5mg from 4mg on the slow reduction,and six weeks in I got pain in my back on right hand side under my ribs and travels round to front. Like you it is painful for a day or two and settles a bit for a day and then flares again. I know I did not hurt myself but my doctor says it a pulled muscle and it could take 6wks or more to heal, it’s now 4wk still sore when I bend and so very sore when I touch the spot. Could this be a flare and if could be how much would I need to up my steroids .
please can someone advise is it a flare or withdr... - PMRGCAuk
please can someone advise is it a flare or withdrawal 🥴
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Hi Maggie, I have recently had the same experience. Got down to 2.5mg and was OK for around two weeks but then the pain and stiffness came back. I've gone back up to 5 to try and settle things down and then have another go at tapering.
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Did you mean this as a reply to someone - just to give it some context?
sorryPMRpro it’s for advice from anyone on what I should do. I developed the pain 4 was ago and was in hospital 3wk ago to have a femur nail replaced in my leg that was fitted wrong last March. So at the moment I have the normal muscle pain where the surgery has been, but the back pain under ribs and round under arm to front is like pulled muscle but I don’t remember doing it unless it was in my sleep 🥴 this is why I can’t decide if it a pulled muscle or a flare. I’m on 3.5mg at moment and don’t know whether to up to 6mg or 7mg to see it would help.
Sorry for such a long post 😊
It's OK - like DL I replied on the other thread - it sounds very like costochondritis. If it is then more pred probably won't help - like a pulled muscle, time heals.
thank you so much 🤞
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have replied to your reply in another post- for completeness have replicates here -
Doesn’t sound typical of a flare, the pains would normally increase - not come and go as you describe.
Many people on here seem to suffer with Costochondritis - maybe have a look at this fairly recent post and see if the links in it from PMRpro ring any bells - if so then talk to your doctor again -
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
.if it’s not that - this link contains the usual advice for dealing with a flare-
Have you done anything unusual such as sit in one position for a long time, do any repetitive action even if light, bent over to pick up or tug on something, or reach up to do something like clean a window? You can pull a muscle without an initial ouchy alarm pain. Can you find a focal point of tenderness anywhere on the area of pain?
thank you SnazzyD two days before the pain started I made soup and was bending from the large pot on the cooker to fill container to freezer and they were on a lower table. I had forgotten about that as it was two days before the pain started 🤔 when I touch where the pain is it hurts 🥴
Large pots and PMR muscles don’t go together….😳
Agreed ! I can no longer use my heavy iron pots and if I do make soup (which I find is a good way to eat veg) I ask hubby to move even the lighter pot….
I'm lucky as I can as I have an OH shaped Kitchen Slave to move all my pans, chop up my veg (under instruction ) get all the stuff out if the cupboards and do the washing up. He's happy , it means he still gets to eat proper food instead of the more basic fayre he can make instead.
So the big pan is still half full of Cawl , he got a Bara Brith and some Aberffraw biscuits, and today's breakfast brunch is Anglesey eggs with Bacon ..... Can you tell it was St. David's Day by any chance...😆😆😆
yes I know 🤣but I did not lift the large pot but using a pint jug to fill the container and transfer it to the lower table. could it have been the repetitive up and down movement 🤔
Did the GP do any other tests , like a urine test , or a full blood count , liver function and kidney function test?Just asking as years ago because I didn't fit the pattern for it I was misdiagnosed as having a pulled muscle , then costochondritis for over six months ( this was well before I learnt that I had to research things myself ) finally I got blood tests and an ultrasound it turned out I was having gall bladder infections and had to have it out. They dismissed it because I was thin , dark haired and under 40 at the time but it turns out my other illnesses could cause me to have these issues earlier , just like they seemed to cause the GCA before 50.
Not saying your GP is wrong here , a pulled muscle in that area is the most likely and most common possibility, but it's better to rule out other possibilities like an infection , kidney issue, gall bladder problem , or change in liver results as early as possible so you know what's best to do to improve it. So, if they didn't order any blood tests I think it is worth calling and asking for them.
If I were you I'd try some paracetamol at the standard dose through the day and see if it helps as well as being careful in your movement and using a heat pad. These will bring relief for both muscle strains , costochondritis or a infection. I'd also increase your water intake and Vitamin C if the amount you have now is lower than recommended as this will help reduce general inflammation and improve recovery. I wouldn't try and reduce the steroid any further while you deal with this problem as it is unlikely to be successful , but I might hold off on increasing the steroid and trying the self care options for other things before increasing the steroid dose too , and then maybe returning to the dose you were on just before this started instead of doing a bigger jump up then finding it hard to get back down again , which isn't quite as quick and simple on the lower doses as it can be on sick days at the higher Pred doses.
Take care ,,rest and pace yourself and I hope it improves soon, Bee
Sorry you are having this additional pain to already something that is a pain in the ...! I think we have to be extra careful since our muscle fibers are shot. I, for instance, was trying to close my carryon luggage at the airport, ( us, ladies always seem to find extra things to stuff in there), so I leaned on the carryon with my upper body to close it, I heard a pop, it wasn't the suitcase, but my rib! This time I really learned a valuable lesson, I ´m not as strong as I once was! So same goes for cast iron pots etc. No lifting anything, not worth it the pain that might come with it.
I do hope you will feel better soon!😊