My doctor decided to change my illness to Fibromyalgia. He thinks I did not respond to prednisone as he expected and suggested I use Tramadol for pain. Tramadol works very well for me, but I'm afraid to get addicted to it, I use it only sometimes or when I need to have more energy for some task or trips. I still think I have PMR, I have all symptoms you describe on this board, my pains are similar to yours, but my blood work is normal now. I could not tolerate prednisone when I was just diagnosed with PMR almost 2 years ago and I started taking Zyflamend™ Whole Body by New Chapter (it's based on Turmeric and other antiflammatory herbs). I think it help somewhat me with pain and inflammation. My question to you on this board if you were suggested by your doctor to take Tramadol for PMR and if did taken have you had any improvement by taking Tramadol.
So I cannot speak to Tramadol for PMR; however, I have taken it for hip pain in the past. I have two artificial hips and prior to my last set of replacements was taking tramadol for pain. It is effective, and I did not find it to be addictive. I quit cold turkey prior to surgery and didn't go back.
I would much prefer it to Prednisone for my PMR if my doc would do the same 
.
I also was taking Tramadol for pain some 10 or so years back and like you was scared of the addiction side of its use. But I went off it cold turkey and do believe that sometimes these addictions are mind over matter....🙄
i also have been told that the component has been adjusted and is not as addictive as prior. That from a druggo I know.
i know how much better I got from taking Tramadol off my listing and have over the last 2 years, been dropping and changing all my medications, for the better....😇. I am not an addictive nature though and extremely strong minded, so just do what you feel comfortable with. Good luck.x👏.
I was prescribed tramodol a few years ago for back pain. It did not help me, and left me with a "funny" feeling. I did not like it and when doctors suggest it I refuse it. I am glad it helped you, we are all different. i also found that analgesics do NOThelp my PMR, only prednisone helped. I don't like to admit it, but just before my dx I did take a hydracodone (which was prescribed a while back for back pain) for PMR, it did not help me at all & I thought it was probably too old, so 2 hours later I took another one; it bombed me out, I could hardly talk, it did not help the pain. It sounds as if you do not have PMR?
I only took it for a week and only when necessary, like night time. I had very ba leg ccramps emanating from painful knee. Cortisone shot in knee, end of pain, It was not meant for me to use for PMR.
I took Zyflamend and it did nothing. Glad it worked for tou.
I have GCA , no pain, so I do not have anything helpful to add.
My health issue is all about vision though what is quite scary to say the least.
i am sorry for all who suffer pain- discomfort and the limitations it brings!
Hope an unexpected good solution may come to you, Nellie, and to all with the same symptom.
Everything is possible.
Before I was diagnosed with PMR I was given Tramadol and it did not help at all. It does seem to be great for fybromyalgia though. When I was given the steroids it was like magic. I do try and include anti inflammatory foods in my diet though and cut out gluten and simple carbs.
I find Tramadol useful before bed to help me get decent sleep.I am on a slow release tablet as I cannot take capsules.It does not affect inflammation;it just makes the brain think you do not have pain.I have been on it for quite a few years and have not become addicted.Now it is classed as a controlled drug the surgery is even more diligent to prevent overuse.
I am the same. Painkillers just didn't touch my PMR pain. I had a knee replacement in September and had been tailing off Panedeine (500mg/paracetamol, 15mg codeine) and they were working fine for my knee...just made no difference to arms, shoulders and neck. Prednisone worked a treat in four days.
How DID you respond to pred? Did it make any difference to the symptoms? I assume too then that your ESR/CRP are normal? As they are in 1 in 5 patients with PMR.
A lady on another forum told us recently that her rheumatologist told her to stop the pred because she hadn't responded as he expected so it wasn't GCA - but a mystery. She is 49 - he would treat it as GCA if she were older he said.
One is left to ask what he thought pred was to do since, with pretty textbook GCA symptoms, 30mg removed all the pain and head symptoms. It didn't relieve the fatigue and brain fog - well, there's a surprise then! She is down to 20mg and the symptoms have all returned. Including blurring vision but the eye specialist can't see anything.
Tramadol and other non-NSAID painkillers rarely help with PMR - they won't help with the stiffness as they don't reduce the inflammation. NSAIDs (NonSteroidal AntiInflammatory Drugs) sometimes help mild cases because they can attack the inflammation and reduce the swelling that leads to the pain and stiffness of PMR. They are listed in the Guidelines as a first approach for mild PMR. But they have their own list of side effects, some of which are worse than pred. NSAIDs never helped me for the PMR - it did take the edge off the bursitis, but it didn't make a lot of difference.
Tramadol is not an NSAID;it is opiate based and therefore non anti-inflammatory.
Quite - read the first words of my final paragraph: "Tramadol and other non-NSAID painkillers rarely help with PMR - they won't help with the stiffness as they don't reduce the inflammation."
I went on to say that NSAIDs sometimes do because of their anti-inflammatory action.
Hi Nellie. I was diagnosed with PMR September '14 but had symptoms since the july. I was already on a high dose of tramadol after a pleural empyema (pneumonia) in the march which lead to me having a pretty intrusive and painful surgery where they had to remove part of a rib to give access to scrape out the solidified infection...hope you're not at your tea...!!! lol so when i first had the pain/stiffness i was on 200mg at night and 200mg in the morning which got rid of the pain from my op and nerve damage but didn't make a mark on the pmr...it wasn't until the september when i was prescribed pred 20mg that overnight i was a different woman. I'm convinced it was my illness in the March that triggered the PMR as my infection levels were crazy high...i still take tramadol 100mg in the morn and 100mg at night for nerve damage but i'm hoping to cut that down again soon....SO i think what i'm saying is if the pred didn't work and tramadol did your doc is probably correct..but try not to worry about being addicted to the tramadol you obviously need it...you just have to ensure when it's time to reduce or stop taking it you do it slowly. Glad something is working for you...take care xxxxx
Hi Iellen,
Can i ask you, what actually happened to your vision? how did you know you had a problem? Did it come on quickly? Did you have the jaw pain that's described?
I have a headache have had it for over a month some days sorer than others (the doctor doesn't even acknowledge i've told him) my eyes are awful but i broke the glasses i had prescribed this time last year a few months ago and have been wearing the ones from before that...i don't know if it's just because it's the old glasses i have the headache and vision problems as i have no pain in the jaw...do you think an optician would be able to tell?...that's a lot of questions lol xxxxx
Amen! I definitely agree.
I am reading now your post- sent about 9 hours ago!
Oh, Issy, sorry, sorry!
It took me one month to be diagnosed because my internist did not go ahead with more tests when I was complaining of flu like symptoms, pain on my joints, night sweats, loss of 12 pounds! He said a just had a throat inflammation and later on prescribed Bactrim!
obe month later I had a symptom of a kind a strange feeling in between the cheek and the eye. It was Sunday, I went to the ER of our local hospital and within 3 hours doing after all tests I was given Pred 60 mg I it to know I had GCA and I was referred to a surgeon (biopsy) and to a rheumy.
It was Jan. 2013. I had some flare ups because dictirs like to taper too fast the steroid and our body does not accept those jumps
yes, I had jaw pain when chewing ( both sides), no other pains, neither in scalp, neither shoulders, or headaches. I still drive without using my glasses for distance and the lens strength of my reading glasses are the same since
one year and 1/2 ago.
I went to see my ophthalmologist after being diagnosed, for a complete examination ( which was sent to the rheumy ant to my new internistand go to see him every one year. However in between those consultations now and then I see an optometrist to be sure I am ok.
I am careful with this precious thing - VISION.
The post was gone before I could correct it. Please, on the 4th paragraph read ' One month later....' Then on the 6th paragraph: ' no other pains neither on my scalp......' Sorry!
I started my treatment on a strict diet of salt and sugar and avoiding all glycemic carbs, etc, etc. I keep this diet just going out of it now and then.
I would go to see an optometrist or eye doctor if I was you.
It looks like your eyes are showing you it' s time to go as soon as you can.
Issy, dear, please let's keep in touch! For such a long time I 've been waiting for the chance to talk specifically on GCA and most part of patients here have PMR.
What kind of diet do you follow?
Did you gain too much weight? How much of Pred are you in now?
i am taking 1Omg because those flare ups.
well, Issy,
no, it was not a lit if questions.
I must apologyse for my delay on replying to you and also for sending my answer in two Replies!
Regarding the Pred how much are you taking now? How the tapering is been done so far?
When our vision goes bad, we better check with the doctor about the amount of the Pred, or we need to see the eye doctor / optometrist.
Issy, after breaking my replies into three I want to thank you for your patience on reading them and to tell you how much I would like we could keep in touch!
As far as I see you are the only one diagnosed of GCA - most part of patients here have PMR.
Hoping we will contact again, I leave you now, wishing you the best in this New Year, exactly all I wish to myself.
Stay well.
Take care.
Hi Iellen,
I haven't been diagnosed with GCA, that's why i was asking all the questions. I'm afraid i haven't been healthy eating for a long time...i had an awful lot happen in the last year, with illness and my mum died and i'd completely given up on trying to look after myself i know that's a terrible thing to admit...i'm hoping to get back on the straight and narrow sooner rather than later...i apologise for talking double dutch and causing you to think i'd been diagnosed with GCA...i always enjoy your posts they're always really positive and supportive...thanks for answering all my questions..i think i'll try to get an appt with doc after work...anyway will go for now starting work in 6hrs...!!
Where are you from Iellen? your english is very good but i feel that you are more exotic lol xxx
I stopped taking Zyflamend because i did not think it helped me. It is also very expensive......