Hi, I don’t post on here very often but I have a problem that I would like to share. I have been on Prednisolone for about eight years, since I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia; it caused my retirement at 64 years.
I even posted a poem on here that I wrote, with the first line "Polly Myalgia, she ain’t no Lady. She’ll mess you up and make you ache like crazy!" The problem that I now have is that even though I am now down to one gram every other day, the Preds are "sucking "the sub-cutaneous fat from the skin on the backs of my hands and from my lower arms to a lesser degree, to such an extent that the slightest bump against something hard quickly brings out a huge bright purple bruise, and what is worse is that my skin tears very easily.
Anything with a sharp edge will open it up like a can of sardines!
I spoke to my G. P and said that I am stuck with this for life! She has prescribed some "Zerocreme" to massage into my hands.
Now then, do any of you "Wise Heads" who have been sufferers longer than me have any advise or suggestions for me; I am an active man and retired carpenter and I can’t spend 24/7 wearing gloves just in case!
I should also mention that I am on 20 mgs of Methotraxate per week and Folic acid. Cheers.
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welcome to the world of thin skin and wasting. i have only been on steroids since december but i also bruise from a not even knock on arms and legs. i only wear long skirts and pants
Unfortunately no evidence that collagen supplements makes any difference. The body doesn't absorb collagen...it breaks it down before it is absorbed and if the body wants to build collagen it brings the relevant bits together...but on a normal diet all those bits are floating around anyway. Being on pred and getting older makes the body less enthusiastic about building collagen. Don't waste money on supplements...spend it on Nivea or any cream your dermatologist recommends.
I was on Pred. for eight years ( two episodes ) and if I as much as walked past a leaf my arms would tear. This was ten years ago and my skin has toughened up.
At the very end of taking Pred. I had a hip replacement and the surgeon was very happy with the way it healed so certainly not lifelong in my case.
I've read all the current responses and although I don't know enough about the efficacy of taking collagen supplements to comment, I do know a little about healthy skin care.
I've been on steroids for 4½yrs now and currently taking 3mgs daily.
My skin has definitely lost some of it's elasticity, wounds take longer to heal (I'm a gardener) and bruising seems to occur much more readily.
About 18mths ago I developed Urticari all over my arms, legs & trunk... a reaction to something that I've yet still to discover!
It took a significant (short term) increase in my steroid dose & two lots of prescription antihistamines to clear it up.
This gave me a sharp reminder that our skin needs just as much attention health wise as the rest of our body. After all...it is considered to be the largest organ of the body.
So....... I decided to be more mindful.
- I continued with my already healthy low carb diet, making sure I included lots of healthy greens, fruit & protein.
- I stopped showering, bathing or washing with anything that had chemicals, colourants or chemicals in.
- I began moisturising my skin twice daily with a nourishing, simple moisturiser.
- I kept out of direct sunlight, particularly in the summer
- I began to drink a lot more water...at least 1½ to 2 litres a day.
These strategies won't completely stop steroid-related skin deterioration, but it most definitely will help slow it down, and I for one have seen a marked improvement in the texture and 'look' of my skin, particularly on my hands.
Hands possibly seem to receive the harshest treatment and yet just by using a nourishing, moisturising handcream regularly I've notceably improved the skin.
We can't always control the 'deterioration' caused by the side effects of medication, but there's often much we can do to slow down the speed of its progression.
The unpleasant truth is that it is also a feature of aging. Are you also on anticoagulant medication?
I'm not convinced by the "it's for life" claims - I've been on pred at relatively high doses for 14+ years, above 10mg most of the time and 15+mg for several years. The skin on my shins had become very delicate but in the last 18 months I have got the pred dose down to about 6mg and the skin has improved no end. I am assured it would be better if I used suitable creams but never in my life having developed the habit of moisturising, I struggle to do it! Above all I hate the feel of anything on my skin, I don't even use make-up.
Thank you to everyone who replied with excellent advice on my ‘sad’ case, and I shall certainly give the hand cream a go. And be more careful about what I wash with and look out for Kelo Cote or is it Keto Cote. Onward and upward
Buy a good quality moisturiser and use it regularly does help , also not using harsh soaps ( cold process soap with natural oils are much kinder to delicate skin) . I’ve had PMR for over five years and the one thing I treat myself to is good hand cream , moisturisers and soap. I’m a framer so have to keep my hands clean so much they dry out . Treat your self and your skin .
I've had pmg for 4 years and if I dry myself after a shower a little to hard it rips my skin.Red bleeds under the skin are very common as well.I believe the Prednisone is the culprit.
During our recent holiday to Sydney we visited Bondi Beach. I did t realised I had knocked my elbow until I saw blood pouring from it. My daughter took me to wash it and when hubby saw it he insisted I go to get it looked at by the Bondi Beach lifeguards.
They were very good and put a large white “bandaid”on it.
I could have written your post except that I'm 68 & female. I've been on prednisone 9 yrs & I'm having having the exact same problems with my skin, especially on the backs of my hands & shins. A blunt stick can even make me bleed through a pair of jeans. I'm very active too, so most of the time I look like I've been in a fight with a cougar. I told my husband we should buy stock in Bandaid, since I'm their best customer! I have feeling this is what I'm stuck with from now on, but I'm interested in reading everyone's responses, especially about the different creams. I hadn't heard of zerocreme or kelo cote or keto cote.
Hi all. Got you beat. On prednisone since 2012 or 2013. Skin is unbelievable. It is like crape paper and I wear compression stockings. the stocking itself opens my skin. I’m also on blood thinners so that I bleed on everything and I do not heal. But we all have to remember the prednisone did save us when nothing else could.
I also keep reminding myself that prednisone saved me when I couldn't move due to pain & debilitating fatigue, so I guess I still feel lucky I've had it.
Hello there, a ray of hope from me. After taking Prednisone for 6 years my skin was so thin I didn’t know how it was holding my body together! However I’ve been in remission for 7 years and zero Prednisone and my skin has more or less thickened to pre PMR levels. Of course “old age” has kicked in now and the bruising if I knock myself but it’s very much a huge improvement so don’t give up hope!
Hello everyone. This is a product from Amazon. It has an organic tallow base. I have tried like you and this came a week ago. It is helping the skin on my right arm that has atrophy from rotator cuff surgery It is even helping bruising. My hands are almost wrinkle free. I’m in the US so I hope you are able to find it.
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