Would anyone recommend acupuncture?

[Agavegirl]

I have GCA and have managed to reduce to 2 mgs prednisone daily. I have a neck problem which I think stems from taking a lot of steroids. Would acupuncture help? Anyone with experience?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

There are related posts now you have asked the question.. but it does seem to be an individual thing.. it helps some by not others. Have you tried it previously before GCA?

Why do you think steroids have caused the neck problem?

[Agavegirl in reply to DorsetLady]

Steroids have affected my muscle mass so I assume this is the same for neck muscles.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Agavegirl]

Acupuncture is unlike to improve muscle mass - physio would be better for that,

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I can only say the same as DL. Acupuncture works for some, not all. Like most of the alternative options , you have to try it to find out if it helps you. But you do need a good and reliable practitioner - as is the case for everything!

[Bedwell in reply to PMRpro]

As I’ve posted already I think! The physio I saw was adamant I shouldn’t try to get off predisolone! It’s there for your pain!

However .. my question is for Dorset Lady today! I am on week 6 of your reduction strategy! When I get to week 7 I shall be on 1 mg every day. Then what? Same thing but “new” means take nothing on those days?! So another 7 weeks to be off completely?! Christmas!?!?! .

[SnazzyD in reply to Bedwell]

Do 0.5mg. Although 1mg is close to zero on paper, to the body it can still be a long way. You may find being on zero for Christmas, depending on what your Christmases are like, you may be poking at the hornets’ nest and be expecting too much form your adrenals’ cortisol output.

It is not the Physio’s place to tell you to get off Pred and in any case, the higher doses will have been much more likely to have reduced the muscle mass. My mass didn’t just bounce back on zero and it took a few years to build up to not quite what it was. However, I was older by then and most of my mass went in the first year of the 3.5 years I was on Pred.

[Bedwell in reply to SnazzyD]

Thankyou!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bedwell]

Not only do 1/2mg, use one of the slowed tapers and repeat each step a few times until you get to every day 1/2mg, And then introduce zero as a new dose in the same way. And take as long as it needs.

I have heard a few very silly things about pred said by physios - and it is NOT their remit to tell any patient to stop their medication. They are physios and have NEVER done a prescribing course so don't know much about pharmaceuticals.

[Bedwell in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks yes of course .05 is sensible. It’s what I’ve done before.. but found 1 mg tablets cut in half tend to crumble however carefully I do it with a cutter! Or not evenly cut!?

Goodness !! Life!!!

[SnazzyD in reply to Bedwell]

Yes, I took Pred as crumbs many times. Was even worse when I did quarters in my year between 1 and zero. I might have taken the slow taper too far!😊

[Meggsy in reply to SnazzyD]

Same here! My last taper from 1/4 to zero was a DL taper repeating each step 3 times. Probably a tad over cautious!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bedwell]

As long as it is less and not nothing it'll be fine ...

[KASHMIRI1]

Acupuncture has been brilliant for me and has helped with my general well being and a lot of pain issues. It stopped my sciatica in two visits.

[Stills]

had it once for migraine many years ago and the result was very good indeed

[Ballerina75]

Hi there

I have both PMR & GCA - my doctor lets me have Acupuncture on NHS & I find it helps me deal with the side effects we get. Recommend trying it as it gives you the strength to keep going! Good luck.