Zapain analgesic

[Tayzee]

Hi I have recently managed to stop my pred after decreasing by 1mg every couple of months and finally by 0.5 -0mg. This took me about a year I would say down from 9mg. My question is regarding Zapain 30/500 … I have been getting stiffness and pains in all my muscles but I don’t know if it is the polymyalgia back or something else. I don’t want to go back on pred if I can manage without. I have found by taking one of these tablets the pain is gone so I don’t think it can be PMR as surely it would take more than that? … I would love to hear your thoughts on this 😃 thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Otherwise known as cocodamol, a mixture of codeine and paracetamol/acetimophen, most people find even 30/500 does nothing for PMR pain however much you take so I think you are probably right. There are aches and stiffness until the adrenal function is reliably settled again - and you are possibly doing more than you were in celebration!

Is the stiffness and pain staying much the same? If it worsens it might suggest there is a very low level of disease activity ongoing and the inflammation it created is building up again. If it does, don't ignore it, at this stage 1 or even 1/2mg might be plenty to sort it, Leave it and you might be back at 5mg to sort it out.

[SnazzyD]

Can you say a bit more about where and when the pains occur? Does the Zapain work all day and how often do you need to take it?

[Bcol]

If the Zapain (Co-Codamol) is working then it's unlikely to be PMR. I use Co-Codamol for my OA but like all regular pain killers it has little or no effect on PMR. Keep a careful on the aches and pains though and if your present medication doesn't seem to be working then it may be the inflammation building up again and needing a low (hopefully) dose of Pred to get things under control again.

[Satya70]

I have no idea but, wow!, great that you got off prednisone. I would think that if you can find an alternative that works for you - great!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Satya70]

I wouldn't want to take co-codamol long term without a very good reason - a low dose of pred is almost certainly safer!

[Hulotsholiday]

I take cocodamol and Zapain for OA. More than 4 Zapain makes me constipated so I limit the Zapain and supplement with cocodamol which has a lower amount of codeine, same paracetamol. They do absolutely nothing for PMR pain. Last year I reduced to zero after some years of roller coaster but within a few weeks I was getting muscle pain. It’s different to the OA pain and after about 12 weeks, I had to contact dr and suggest PMR had returned. I’d hoped to hit it with a high initial diese and taper down quickly, but that didn’t happen and 18 months on, I have reduced, but can’t get below 5mg. I think the disease was still there and I left it too long before acknowledging that the beast had returned. I’d urge you not to ignore niggling pains. I guess we’ve all tried to find an alternative to steroids but the sad truth is they’re the only thing that works to keep the inflammation controlled. Good luck.

[PMRnewbie2017]

I had a routine blood test in March which showed esr 20 and crp 9. I had a bit of a cold and put the slightly raised crp down to that. I was taking 2.5mg Pred. My thigh muscles were sore but pain killers fixed it. I continued to taper and reached 1mg. My thighs were still sore and I thought it was all the walking I'd done in Rome. Fast forward to Sept when I suddenly had trouble climbing stairs and my neck and shoulders ached. It was PMR all along and an increase in Pred has sorted it out and I'm back at 3mg. I had deluded myself and because painkillers worked in the early stages I ignored the signs. Soreness from doing too much goes in a couple of days. PMR inflammation doesn't.