if codeine works to relieve the pain is this a pmr flare or something else?

[allofaquandry]

I recently had a bad cold and it has been followed by all the aches and pains of a pmr flare. If codeine relieves those aches and pains does this indicate that it isn’t a pmr flare.

[SnazzyD]

Broadly yes, but if you’re taking a biggish dose or every 4 hours to get rid of the pain then I’d keep an open mind. Codeine works by blocking pain in the central nervous system, so to an extent it will work. I imagine low grade PMR inflammation might be quelled by it at first but with less success as things go on. That’s just my reasoning rather than from a trusted source.

What makes this pain like PMR for you?

[allofaquandry in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks Snazzy.

'What makes this pain like PMR for you?' I feel like I've been beaten up around the legs , hips and shoulders, plus base of spine and stiff and lacking in energy. Basically I feel ancient! The aches in the legs does move about a bit over time, especially in the joints where it can be in the ankles, knees and hips at different times of the day.

It is a high prescription dose of codeine/paracetemol that is having some effect, but I suspect there is still something lingering from the cold . it has been a year for me of chest infections, covid, flu and walking the dog finishes me for quite some time after. I have been stuck at 8mgs of prednisomol and want so much to taper down, but given current aches and pains I'm holding off. I was hoping to be much lower than this by now but it just isn't happening.

This morning its not too bad so fingers crossed.

[Bcol]

Hi, I have suffered from OA for many years and although now off Pred for the last few months, the Co-Codamol that I take for my OA had absolutely no effect on my PMR.

[allofaquandry in reply to Bcol]

Thanks Bcol, good to know.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is less likely to be PMR if pain is relieved by ordinary painkillers but it is never 100% certain,

But joint pain isn't entirely typical of PMR - could any of this be a left-over from Covid?

[allofaquandry in reply to PMRpro]

Ahhh could possibly, it certainly been a rough year. I will see if I can look back at timings (must do better on keeping a track of stuff, but there has been quite a lot of health stuff to keep a track ), there may even be something still lingering from first chest infection which was pre-covid.

Thanks PMRpro