Oral Steroids for Tendonitis

[ombili]

Hi all, I am really happy to be finally clear on why my hips have been giving me trouble for years and what is going on with my foot. Apparently this is all caused by tendonitis - hardly seems like anything to complain about, does it? Honestly, sometimes I think I'm just a big, big whiner. I mean, really....tendonitis....bah.

Like any bad patient, I looked up Tendonitis and how it is treated online, and saw that usually anti-inflammatories, rest, and ice are what are recommended, and usually the tendonitis is supposed to clear up within a few weeks. I've actually done that before so I guess that's why my doc didn't prescribe it. Some other things were also mentioned but I never saw anything about steroids.

Have you ever been given steroids for tendonitis? What do you think about it all?

And is tendonitis related to HMS? If so, how?

[aninja]

Ombili,
Because HMS is connective tissue disorder it would stand to reason that tendonitis would be related. If the tendons are overstretched(or loose) then they can rub on bones, thus causing inflammation.

Tendonitis is very common in athletes because they have overworked the tendons, with HMS are tendons, ligaments and muscles have to work so much harder than other peoples would

I personally get inflammation in the achilles tendon, trochanteric bursitis(side of the hip) a lot of bursitis(inflammation of the bursa, the fluid filled sac that protects the joints) in various parts of the body.

Hope this answers your question.

aninja
xx

[Eloise]

Hi Ombili,

I know that tendonitis is treated with corticosteriods if NSAIDs fail or are not suitable. Although luckily I have never needed them. See link below for some info. I think normally they do it by injection direct to the joint, as this saves on having the whole body side effects (mainly weight gain), but there again tablets have the advantage of not sticking a needle in the joint!

It does make alot of sense to use a steriod. Steriods reduce inflammation, and tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons! Not sure how effective it is. Here is a link that shows it is used. The clinical Knowledge summaries are a great source of good evidenced based medicine.

http://www.cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/corticosteroid_drugs/what_is_it_used_for

I guess tendonitis is probably fairly HMS related as it is the dodgy collagen in our tendons etc that cause us problems, and our flexibility does seem to put alot of stress on the tendons. But don't quote me on that - I am sure there are more knowledgable people out there.

Hope you are in less pain soon.

[ombili]

Thanks Eloise, the link was very helpful and so were you! I'll be off to the pharmacy in a few moments...

[Eloise]

If you are taking steriods tablets. Take the full dose FIRST thing in the morning. They kick start your body awake and if you take them any later in the day you could suffer from being extremely awake ALL night.

I had a friend who decided he didn't like the thought of eight tablets in the morning (they only come in a small strength tablet and you have to take quite a few to get the required dose normally - so don't freak out if you have a similar number) and so he spread the tablets through-out the day. He then was wide awake every night driving his wife insane by wanting to do loads of stuff around the house (even though he was too ill to be doing it). I then told him to take the full dose in the morning - and he went back to a normal sleeping pattern

I am sure steriods and side-effects will have been discussed elsewhere as well.

[yogi]

I have really nasty tendonitis in my right hip and butt. I've had it for years. Occasionally I get injections of steroids, as I did last week. My doctor wanted to relieve some of the pain from the tendonitis, so that I can separate that from the pain in my hip joint - (arthritis, bursitis, etc) - and figure out if the joint has become much worse. The MRIs never seem to tell the whole picture. Anyway, this time he injected more cortisone in more areas then he has in the past. The first couple days were bad - you can have a "cortisone flair" reaction. Now, a week later, the whole area feels a LOT better. (and I never seem to say that). It's a manageable amount of pain. I know it isn't good to over use cortisone, but I'm going to enjoy this respite!

[ombili]

Thanks for the info, and I'm glad you're getting a respite from your pain!

Of course, I'm taking oral prednisone so I don't know whether it will be the same. But we'll see.

[ombili]

Hey Yogi,
I was thinking about your post later and wondered what you meant when you said the MRIs never tell the whole picture. I'm just curious.

I'm on my second day. Not much change yet but I know it will take time. I did have a little trouble sleeping last night but it worked out great, as our time changed, and so I was just awake when I should have been, more or less - would have been 4:30 but it was 5:30 instead.

[yogi]

HI ombili,

The MRIs of my back and hip have shown a long list of issues - my hip has effusions, bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis etc. And it immediately subluxes in certain positions. But the pictures don't match the severity of the symptoms I have. So my Doc wanted to figure out which were joint related, and which were tendon.

[ombili]

Thanks for letting me know! That does sound like a long list of things. I really ought to ask for a copy of the radiologist's report and see what it said. She was looking for stress fractures so I think that was the main thing she told me (that I didn't have one) - and she said the cartilage looked ok, I think...

It's interesting now that I've been taking this stuff for a couple of days. Some of my foot and hip symptoms might be a little bit better, and then some other body parts, like my hands, are worse than ever - so I guess, reading your description, that maybe that means I can rule out tendonitis or carpal tunnel, eh? I like the idea of being able to get a clearer sense of things this way.

[Sandy L]

The morning dose schedule also minimizes the suppression effect on the adrenals, so that you have less difficulty coming off a course of steroids.

[sarahh]

Hi Ombili hun , Ouch tendonitis that hurts, I know they can inject it with a steroid, I really hope the prednisolne helps to settle it down. A year or so ago I had tendonitis of my left foot arch. I really hope it settles down soon.

Take care

Sarah x

[ombili]

Thanks Sarah!

I think the foot is getting a little bit better - not perfect at all but slightly less painful. But oddly, the rest of me feels worse than usual. Last night when I went to bed I just wanted to cry because I felt like I was being stabbed in the hand, writst, shulders, lower back, pelvis, knees, and hips. My husband says that this means I'm "healing."

Anyway, this morning I am doing ok. I finish up the prescription tomorrow and then am supposed to call my GP to tell her if it worked. If not she says she'll send me for ART - which sounds good on the one hand, but on the other hand not if she says it has to be 90 miles from where I live...

[sarahh]

Hi Ombili

Glad your foot is doing a little better, not sure I agree about you feeling worse than usual and it means your healing Maybe coincedence than things feel worse not sure hun. 90 miles I know what you mean it is a long way, I really hope something gets sorted for you.

Take care hun

Sarah x

[Suze66]

I was given this.
What exactly is it?
I can't say I noticed anything helpful towards my pains, but the sensitivity around my teeth vanished 'ting'.
I had to give up the last 14 days of taking it as the IBS set in & I had constant acid

I've heard it makes ya pack on the kilos??? ......I think I've got a delayed reaction! .....oh no, it must be Easter