Predisone prescribed for pain for fibro?

I have not yet been officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I have seen my rheumoldogist twice and she is out on maternity leave till Jan. She tested me for lupus and I tested positive for ANA. Additionally lupus tests were done but I guess nothing came out that yelled lupus. She said I had fibro symptoms as well but still thought I might still have a mild form of lupus.

Since she has been out my pain has gotten much more severe where I have had to leave work and slept for days. The pain got so bad that I almost went to the ER. I have seen two of her colegeues and both of them say that it sounds like fibro to them. I can't take any narcotic drugs, so the dr prescribed 4 mg og predisone per day 5 days ago.

The severe pain is gone and I feel so much better it is unbelievable. It has to be the précisone. I thought that predisone did not work for fibro pain. At least I have read that on the web. Is it possible that these meds are helping the fibro pain or does e fact that it is working so well mean it's not at least entirely fibro?

Post Edited (Kitcat41) : 10/24/2011 5:34:17 PM (GMT-6)

Hi, Kitcat, and welcome!  Crush's quote is accurate and that's how most doctors feel.  But, I've been on prednisone for another health problem.  I had fibro at the time, too.  I was put on some heavy duty prednisone....80 mg a day!  The first week, I felt absolutely wonderful and actually landscaped my front yard!  But then it hit.  Prednisone isn't a great med for long term use.  I had to be on these heavy doses for one month.  By the second week, my immune system practically shut down and I was getting sick all of the time.  Then, it took me four months to be weaned off the prednisone and I looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy, too!

 

So, I told you all of this to say the prednisone could possibly help in the short term if you have fibro.  If you have lupus, it might work much better for you.  Also, I know they say fibro is not an inflammatory problem but you sure can't prove it by me.  I have used ibuprofen with food for over 24 years!   I recently had to stop because I did develop a bleeding ulcer so now I'm on the hunt to see what else can help.  So, this is probably why the prednisone is helping you.

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  Good starting links are called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  This might help you see if you possibly do have fibro.

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine 

When I took prednisone, it was as a kind of Lupus eliminator. I felt better for about 3 days on it, then went downhill on it. Because it didn't keep me feeling well, that mostly eliminated Lupus.