We are not wanting to take more pred before trying other meds. I had been at 5mg for nearly a year then alternate 5 / 4mgs for a month and now on 4mg. Felt uncomfortable while alternating and now painful and fatigued.
Hope you are enjoying the coverage of the Olympic Games. Was'nt the opening magical? Go Aussies!!! I take one 200 mg ibuprofen at night and two Excedrin (aspirin/acetominophen) in the morning along with 2.5 mg pred. This works mostly well for me except when I overexercise, and then I have to increase to 5 mg pred for a few days and then drop back down. I would rather put up with the pain and stiffness that I have rather than increase the dose of pred to completely eliminate it.
I would be hesitant to take Tramadol and Valium together, as they are contraindicated probably because Tramadol causes insomnia and Valium is a sedative, so they are working against each other. Both are also addictive and you can suffer severe withdrawal if you become addicted to them. I'm surprised (or maybe not) that your Dr. prescribed both of these together. I'm not aware of what Tamaze is, but it sounds like temazepam, which is the same drug class as Valium (benzodiazepine). Valium also should be used with caution in older people because it can cause excessive loss of balance and falls.
I don't think prescription pain killers can resolve PMR pain, and taking them on a regular basis can be just as harmful as the prednisone, especially with older folks like us. I am opting for the OTC variety of pain killers to help with stiffness rather than risk the more side effects the prescription varieties offer. And since I don't have insurance, they are certainly way less expensive.
As for the Olympic Games, go USA.
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