New pain

[Manchild]

So, after over 4 years I got down to 2.5 mg of pred and thought I was doing OK. Foolishly, I increased my activities in the gym and simultaneously went down to 2.25 which was a disaster. Went back up to 5 to my Rheumy’s dismay, but too bad.

Problem now is that I have developed pretty bad pain in my flanks (both) that is worse when lying on them in bed. Hard to sleep.

went to my GP who thought it was probably muscular and prescribed muscle relaxants which help a little. I’m trying to get a CT scan to see if there is any organ involvement, but I think it is muscular. I don’t want to increase the pred until I can rule out things other than PMR, or MFPS. Anyone have this happen after probably working out too hard in the gym? Pain is on both flanks, mostly above waist, sometime going all the way up to under arms.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I guess you've learnt - basic scientific principle: never change 2 parameters at once!

Sounds like protesting lats to me.

physio-pedia.com/Latissimus....

[jls93]

Hmm could be latissimus dosi..could check : pain referral distribution. Janet Travell MD mapped them very well.. ref " myofascial pain and trigger point therapy " excellent reference / resource

[Manchild in reply to jls93]

Yeah thanks. I am familiar with Dr Travell’s work, that has been somewhat controversial. Maybe if it doesn’t get better soon I will seek out a clinician who does this release therapy.

[jls93 in reply to Manchild]

Diagnostic not necessarily intervention. Plenty of choices once you understand the issue . Good read.. best to you and recovery

[sidra1968]

Interesting..so after a year of terrible neck and trapezius pain (which I attributed to my past cervical fusion-and I am sure some of it is..but I digress)..anyway, on Dec 19 last year my right flank started hurting BADLY (like you above hip, really my waist). This literally occurred in 5 hours after sleeping. I had not pulled anything., hell I hadn't done anything but sleep. Seemed to get a little better after major icing and being careful all week, but then flew to Las Vegas on the 29th and when I got up could barely walk to through the airport..my friend took me straight away to urgent care where got a Medrol Pack to get through the week of vacation.

It was better on it overnight that first night by 80%, but as I tapered down it was still really bad. Called orthopedist and saw him Jan 6th when I got home..he ordered an MRI to check the organs and did an x-ray then and there (nothing wrong)..MRI comes back nothing wrong..That's when I found Polymyalgia Rheumatica and this site. Went to GP Feb 16th, he ordered a chest x-ray and blood tests to rule out lung tumor (one rare one can can muscle breakdown) and rare diseases. All normal. Now on 15 mg prednisone for 2.5 weeks(I told HIM about it as it seemed to fit more than anything else)..and I feel 75% better! Gonna ask to go to 20 mg this week.

But when I increase activity it "seems" to want to flare, so definitely take it easy. I have literally been sleeping JUST on my back with knees and legs propped up since Oct 22 when my hip and right knee kind of hurt..probably was the start of all of this. Just my sory, but not read much about flank pain on here, so thought I'd share

[Sharitone]

I have this on one side. It hurts to lie on it or sneeze, also to lie on either side because it stretches the muscle slightly. Lying flat on your back seems to be the only way to stop it hurting, but this has an impact on the knees....

It seems that annoying any muscle these days leads to its complaining, and lasting for months. Which means that the number of hurting muscles gradually increases.

I have no idea what to do about it, except sit it out. I definitely don't think stretching it would do any favours.