FLARE | Arthritis Information

I am having a flare and maybe I did too much for the holidays, pain back the way it was when I was first diagnosed, has any one else experienced this, can extra activity cause a flare? I was scheduled to decrease my pred. but I almost feel like increasing it for a few days, this really got me down, it is 6 p.m. on New Years Eve and I am going to bed........
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL..............Georgiana

Hello Georgiana

SNAP! I've been doing too much as well and today I increased to 15mg (been on 12.5mg for nearly 3 weeks). Felt a little better as my legs aren't screaming at me like they were yesterday. Naturally our bodies make extra cortisol when we are stressed or tired so we must increase our dose of pred to compensate. My doc told me to do it over Christmas but I managed to stay at 12.5mg right up until yesterday when the old body said "no more". Do take a higher dosage to get your body over this flare.

It's just gone midnight here in the UK so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Let's hope this year is a healthier one for all of us!

God Bless

Judi

Hi Judi,

How long are you going to stay at your higher dose before going back to 12.5?

I am at !0 mg and went up to 12. 5 for few days, which helped, but now I am back to having pain. It's in my back more than any place else... the back is the most bothersome for me.

I'm in California, USA, it's still 2006...waiting for 2007....it will be better!

God Bless you, too! And Happy New Year.

Janet-Calif

Janet and Judi, I am also bothered by a lot of back pain, usually low in the back, but yesterday it was in the middle of my back, and that really knocked me for a loop, had to stay lying down most of the time, the pain made me weak, I did do some extra work, don't know if that caused it.
I am on 10 mg. gong down to 7.5 was no good, tried but I think I was in the middle of a flare, so am still on 10, I will try to decrease again when I am feeling a little better, I would like to increase so I feel better, but I am dying to get off of this stuff, what would you do? God Bless
Georgiana

Georgiana,

Boy, you and I are in the same boat. I am scheduled to lower to 7.5 to today, but I am not.

I wish I undersood the "flares" better. Will the "flare" go away while we are on our current dose? My understanding is that we have to up the dose to get past the flare. Can anyone help us there? And for how long do we stay at the "upped" dose?

As much I as detest the idea of going up, this pain is getting me deperessed. I am hoping that if I were to go back to 12.5, it would be for only one month, then start the taper again.

So for today, I am staying at 10 mg and taking Advil as needed. Yesterday, I had a vicodin from a friend...didn't do much for my backpain.....I think the vicodin, for me anyway, makes me a little wired and tense...not good for the muscles.

The pain when I wake in the am seems to let up some throughout the day, it's the stupid pain in my lower back that gets me down.

Let's all pray that we have a Happy New Year....and a decent day today!

Janet-California

Janet, Georgiana and Judi,

Happy new year to you all!!! Seems like the more I read the posts, the more I realize how differently PMR can affect each of us. I would like to tell you that the flares do go away while on your present dose. They did with me. I never "upped" the dose of prednisone, but did suffer through some bad flares from time to time. Guess I was too stupid or stubborn to increase the meds, or maybe afraid of going up and then having to start over with the decrease. It sounds like you have it worse than I did.

Right now I am battling plantar fasciitis in one foot. Have had it since Dec. 15. And the limping isn't helping my back pain either. I can relate to your pain, Janet. Mine, I'm sure is from a combination protruding discs, muscle imbalances and whatever??? It's been getting worse, and probably from the exercise I keep trying to do. I got a Leslie Sansone 5 mile walking video for Christmas, and tried out the 3 mile walk with weight belt. I think the moves are too fast. Every time I do exercise fast, I seem to get tendonitis somewhere, but if I don't crank up the intensity, how am I going to lose the weight I need to lose (other than "starving" myself. haha).

Will see my regular dr. in a few days, for regular checkup, and the rheumatologist Feb. 14, so have more questions for them, and hope I can get rid of the tight, achy muscles and hip and foot problems. Always something, but I keep plugging along.

Hope you all get some relief. Yes, I vow that 2007 will be much better!!!

Love,
Reni

Hi Reni,

Thank you for your reply. Can you remember how long your "flares" lasted? And if you were in a flare, you probably waited to taper until the flare was over.....is that right?

I,too, don't want to increase my dose. My fear is that the flare will slow down recovery. I feel like I am always floundering with this stupid condition.

My son had plantar fasciitis, the doc gave him some stretching exercises and told him to roll his foot on a bottle of frozen water. It helped. Also, it's important to not go "stocking foot" or barefoot.

Looking forward to hearing from you...

Janet-calif

Hi, Janet!

My flares lasted anywhere from 1-4 days, depending on what I'd done before, or the weather, or whatever (sometimes I couldn't tell what caused them). I went ahead and tapered on schedule. I think the only thing I increased during the flares was the trazodone or elavil (whatever I was on at the time) to help me sleep at night. Otherwise, I toughed it out, and was probably a bear to my family. Hi Everyone, My flareups last up to 4 days and go away no matter what dosage I'm at. I've even lowered the dosage in the middle of one, I want off this stuff so badly. Nothing seems to matter. It runs it's course and then I'm back to normal. Normal for me is some pain, but manageable. On the flare days, I take darvocet. I'd much rather do that than up the prednisone. I just wonder if this is every really, really going to go away. I'm about to cut to 6 mg. I've never read anyone on the forum say, "Hey, I used to have PMR, but I just woke up one day and it was gone!" But then, I guess those people are out having fun and not sitting here writing to arthritis forums. Hmmmm. Happy New Year, friends.Hi everyone,
My flare seems to be subsiding, Betsy, I too take a darvocet when I am feeling bad, and I had the same thought that you, about prefering the darvocet over the pred.....what a choice, but I know what you are saying...I will try again to go down to the 7.5. on the pred. Janet, I hope your back is better. This flare lasted 7 days.

Georgiana

Hi Reni and Betsy,

Betsy, I agree that the people that used to have PMR have no need to be on the forums...and I believe that Reni is done, and bless your heart, Reni, for giving us encouragement!

My flare has hit my upper arms, shoulders and my hips...which is very tolerable and advil helps that. My lower back is giving me the most fits, and seems to stay around all day. I have never had it in my back, so maybe I really tweaked it, and it's just going to take longer. Or maybe I did something else to my back, cannot imagine what, since I don't even exercise like I used to. Only thing I can think of is going up and down a ladder,,,but how could that hurt my back???

This PMR stuff never gives our mind a break, either...always trying to figure out what to do or not to do.

Well, off to work, which does help me to focus on something else. Please pray that my back pain goes away, I can handle the other part of my body.

Wishing all a peaceful day.

Janet-Calif & nbsp;

Hi Georgianna and Janet,

Georgianna, I hope the flare has about run its course. Isn't it terrible? We never know from one day to the next what to plan or if we will be able to do anything too tiring or strenuous.

I'm a muralist, and tomorrow I start a job on scaffolding. If I wake up with too much pain, I'll take a darvocet. Ususally I can make it, but sometimes when it's bad I take one in the morning and one in the afternoon to get through the job. I love what I do and I'm not going to quit, but it gets a little rough sometimes. Say a prayer for me. Are you dropping from 10 to 7 1/2? If it bothers you, get the doc to write you some 1 miligram, so you can go to 9 instead. Lots of folks I've read about on here couldn't make that big a jump without trouble. My doctor prescribed dropping 1 mlg a month after 10. I haven't had any problems out of the ordinary.

Janet, that's so true about PMR not giving our minds a break either...just forever trying to figure it all out. It's so frustrating. Sometimes on this forum I could just cry for people. The new ones have no idea what's ahead of them and others have a terrible time getting diagnosed. Others have the wrong dosage. It's just so sad to see so many in such pain. Somedays I cry, and other days I think I'm better off than others.

Good night, girls. Talk later.

Betsy, you are a Godsend, I am so glad you suggested I ask the doc for 1 mg. I am going to see him tomorrow, the 1 mg might just do the trick as I seem to be having a problem going to 7.5 from 10....so I will just drop down to 9....................Good Luck on your mural, I will pray for you and be careful on that scaffolding, I give you a lot of credit doing what you do..............Good night, Georgiana Thanks G, and good luck at the doctor's. Thanks fror the prayer. It hurts to climb the scaffolding in the mornings for a while, but then it gets a little better. I have to get up and down so many times. That's what makes it hard. It's not pretty but I can do it. Have a great day, everyone.

Betsy and Georgiana,

Thought about you today, Betsy, up and down on the scaffolding! Let us know how your job was!

And, Georgiana, looking forward to hearing the information the doc gave you. I would be fine if this stupid back pain was gone. Cannot figure out what it is. I have read on some posts that the PMR can settle in one place for a while..............any thoughts?

I still haven't reduced. Like you G, I was to have reduced to 7.5 from 10.

Hope today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today!

Janet-Calif

Hello Girls

Been back to work so not been on for a day or two.

As I am trying to keep to 12.5 until I see my GP again I only took 15mg for one day. Been back at 12.5 for two days but the pains are back in my upper arms and thighs. I've been walking more so it aggravates my legs. (I wish I could walk 20 mins to town!). My RA is having a flare at the moment as well (left ankle bad and left knee) so I take dihydrocodeine when I need to. (I'm also on lodine for the RA). Recently I've had lower back pain which is unusual for me. I put it down to the bloated tum from the pred pulling my pelvis forward (?). Just feeling very sore tonight.

Hope you are all on the way up.

Love Judi xx

Hi Janet, I made it through the first day of the mural. That's always the hardest. Thanks for asking. I only had one darvocet though, so that's really good. The mural is looking good for the first day, so I'm pleased. Aren't we all so pathetic to be such determined, independent individuals!!!! At least we don't just give in to it. We just put on our big girl panties, flare our nostrils,

Judi, Judi, Judi. I think PMR just picks a spot for the month and attacks with Tazmanian devil fury. I've always had a "worse than anywhere else" spot. It has been in my upper back, my lower back, my neck and my two own personal favorites, up under my skull at the back of my neck, and along the collarbones in the front. Hurts like hell no matter which place it is for the month.

We're all going to be healed. We're all better than we were a few months ago. We'll just keep taking our exorcism medicine until the pain demons are cast out. Right, girls????????????

Better day tomorrow, I'm sure.....

Night night all!

Love Judi