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I am continuing to have symptoms including hip pain and stiffness and thighs hurting. I know I have si joint issues with mild osteoarthritis

A MyLupusTeam Member asked a question 💭
NC

But the pain seems too severe for that possibly? The neck and shoulders are really bothering me and it is painful to raise my arms. Could this be polymyalgia? I’m concerned since prednisone is used to treat this and I have severe osteoporosis with numerous compression fractures. Can the dose of prednisone be low enough not to cause more issues with osteoporosis? Anyone have this condition?

May 25
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A MyLupusTeam Member

Frankie, my left hip and thigh has pain. Back in October, it felt like the veins in my left thigh were breaking. This was painful; I should have got it checked out then. Later I did tell the nurse practioner at the rheumatologist's office. I told my cardiologist, and he ordered a songogram to check for blood clotts in my left leg. Thankfully, I didn't have one.

May 26 (edited)
A MyLupusTeam Member

Hydroxychloroquine is all for lupus.

May 26
A MyLupusTeam Member

What other medications do you currently take?

May 26
A MyLupusTeam Member

I also have pain in my neck and the top of the shoulder when it get bad I put on the heating pad and sometimes I use one of those pain pads try it and let me know if it helps you go luck

May 26
MyLupusTeam

Those are really valid concerns, especially given the complexity of what's going on. Hip stiffness, thigh pain, and shoulder pain that limits arm movement are all symptoms that can overlap with lupus-related joint and muscle inflammation, so it's really important to get a thorough evaluation from your rheumatologist to Show Full Answer

Those are really valid concerns, especially given the complexity of what's going on. Hip stiffness, thigh pain, and shoulder pain that limits arm movement are all symptoms that can overlap with lupus-related joint and muscle inflammation, so it's really important to get a thorough evaluation from your rheumatologist to pinpoint what's driving the pain. Regarding prednisone and osteoporosis — this is a genuinely important concern. Prednisone is known to reduce calcium levels in the body, which can worsen bone loss. Research suggests that higher daily doses carry significantly more risk of organ and bone damage than lower doses.

The good news is that lower doses (around 6mg daily or less) have been associated with a much lower risk of further damage. However, with severe osteoporosis and compression fractures already present, even low-dose prednisone needs very careful consideration. If prednisone is prescribed, some protective strategies worth discussing with your doctor include:

- Calcium and vitamin D supplementation
- Bone density monitoring
- Bisphosphonate medications to help protect bones
- Limiting the dose and duration as much as possible
- Reducing alcohol and avoiding smoking This really is a conversation to have urgently with your rheumatologist, who can weigh the benefits of treatment against the very real risks given your bone health history. You deserve a plan that manages your pain without making things worse elsewhere.

May 25

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