At 27 mg. Pred and PMR symptoms returning? Flare?

[Missus835]

I have shared prior that I am reducing pred slowly, albeit seems not slowly enough from 60 mg. last January. This week I dropped from 30 to 27 mg. Pred and upper arms, shoulders, headache up the back of neck, between shoulder blades are crying this morning. Started yesterday though. Last night I upped the dose back to 30. Diverticulitis seems to have reared it's ugly head overnight as well A lot of pain in left side of navel. Also up twice with diarrhea.

A lot going on in my body right now. Hips and mid back in spasm. I'm thinking 30 mg. for a week at least to see if it levels off. Do believe something is causing inflammation, but unsure what. At this dose of Pred I had not thought about PMR being uncontrolled, but it seems so. I take Nsaid and Tylenol for the hips/back.

Had bloods, urine and x-rays done on Wednesday but rheumy may not see (look at) them for a couple of weeks. Pharmacy faxed her for me to let her know these tests had been done and I needed either to come in or some kind of guidance or even results. Test results here in Nova Scotia are $30 a pop to obtain personal copies. I have no GP.

[SheffieldJane]

Can you move to gastro- resistant Pred. ? I wish I had, long ago and not ignored the grumbling pain from diverticulitis . I am now stuck with a chronic condition. Unusually my point of particular pain starts on the right lower abdomen.

[Missus835 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Pharmacist says they've not heard of coated pred. I asked a few months ago. I'm in Canada SJ and it seems some things we can get, you cannot and vice versa. Cheers!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Missus835]

I had to persist and shop around before I got the 1 mg tablets. I would be surprised if a pharmacy, prepared to go the extra mile cannot source them in Canada. They meet an obvious, common need.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Missus835]

Only a "thing" in the UK. It all depends on the national regulations and unless they are recognised they will not be on the purchasing list.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What you are describing could be greater trochanteric pain syndrome - new name for trochanteric bursitis but including low back pain which tended to be ignored by the ignorant! Together with deep gluteal syndrome it can be horrendous. Oral pred doesn't help - but steroid and lidocaine injections are brilliant.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/155...

intermountainhealthcare.org...

[Missus835 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks Pro. I have sent an email including these links to my former neurologist in hopes he will forward to the rheumy. Very informative articles and describe most of my symptoms. I have asked him where I can get these shots and also would he consider taking me back on as a patient as I'm getting nowhere fast with this rheumy. I've even fudged a couple of my bloodwork requisitions to tick off a few more boxes (probably illegal, but getting the needed bloodwork and x-rays). She does not listen and therefore, imho, is missing tests that should be done.

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

This totally describes what my husband is currently suffering. Thanks.