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Question about PMR in addition to other autoimmune disorders?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 3 2:12pm | Replies (32)Comment receiving replies
"I began to experience almost constant aches and pains in my legs, not debilitating but definitely more than just annoying." “it feels like my muscles/tendons or ligaments are coming away from the bone, like really bad shin splints”. -- >>Hello @slf202mcinfo>> does this mean the pain is in the front of your calves ?
- I have been experiencing a searing pain very deep in my lateral right thigh. The onset coinciding with my PMR( ever since last spring) , so notably it is persisting throughout Prednisone dose as high as 30 mg until now ( tapered down to 3 mg/day) . My questions for you, if you don't mind, are 1) have you had any imaging done ? 2) can a pysiatiatrist or physical doctor /therapist "provoke' the pain by moving your leg around ? I saw my pysiatrist yesterday - that her is conclusion that the pain cannot be provoked , MRI imaging done in Nov. showed bursitis at top of femur- the pain is quite severe if she pushes on the area where the bursae is. I am trying to strengthen the gluteus medius.
20 mg of Prednisone daily for 90 days, decreasing over next six months>>> this regime of prednisone seems different from others on this forum who have described their schedules, i seem to recall a general step-down that quickly gets you to 10 mg/day , and then it will occur (much) more slowly*. -- Have you decreased your Prednisone dose yet ? How are you feeling today ? : )
* see attached table 3
Replies to ""I began to experience almost constant aches and pains in my legs, not debilitating but definitely..."
I have not had any imaging done but after learning more on this website, I plan on discussing this with my doctor. We do not have anyone in our community identifying as a physiatrist but I do see a very well qualified and experienced physiotherapist and I follow her recommendation on daily exercising, very specifically like you, to improve my glute strength. I also see a therapeutic massage therapist; I find her treatments “good pain” and she provokes the pain by massaging areas of the lower legs specifically rather than manipulating the leg. She talks of opening pathways and restoring blood flow.
I was diagnosed in February although now I am sure it started much earlier and started on 20 mg of prednisone. Plan is after this 3rd month decrease the prednisone by 2.5 mg each month until down to 10mg. Then another consult with my doctor.
I returned to my “Gentle Yoga” class this week. I have been doing yoga for 40+ years and at 76 I am very content with this practice. Yoga, exercising specifically suggested by my physiotherapist and stationary bike for cardio are my weekly exercise routines.
My discomfort and stiffness are tolerable, certainly not the spasm type pain I experienced before prednisone which was very difficult to tolerate and made sleep almost impossible.
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Thank-you for posting this reference. I will add it to my file. The highlighted paragraphs in the grey box at the beginning states why we must taper more slowly once physiological doses are reached. Physiological dose is generally estimated to be about 5 mg. Daily cortisol requirements vary greatly depending on many factors related to stress but 10 mg of prednisone should be adequate cover for most days.