Hi @isabelle7, Not everyone with PMR develops GCA, but roughly 30% do. My rheumatologist told me PMR and GCA are the same disorder that just strikes the body in different places. The onset of PMR for me followed an ankle injury from walking backwards. I was not diagnosed with PMR for over a year and I kept walking about an hour a day through the incredible pain. It gave me no relief. I developed GCA.
Anorexia is a symptom of PMR/GCA and I lost about 15 pounds. I've gained about 10 back.
In past posts about exercise and PMR/GCA some have said that when they overdid their exercise, they had flareups. I still exercise, but not as robustly as I used to. I walk, use a rebounder, and do a Yoga program designed for osteoporosis (Dr. Loren Fishman - 12 Poses vs Osteoporosis).
If your husband hasn't exercised for a while, it's probably best for him to start back gradually, do what he's comfortable doing, and pay attention to that that old adage, "listen to your body."
I don't make myself "push through it anymore." If I'm really fatigued, I skip the workout for a day.
I was on prednisone for a year and a half, and off it now for about a year and a half, with no flareups.
After PMR and GCA, I'm not back to my previous energy levels, but I'm also fulltime caregiver to my husband with Alzheimer's Disease, which takes a lot of energy, even though he's somewhat functional around the house.
I wish you both the best.