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Changing from prednisone to NSAID’s
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 26 1:31pm | Replies (37)Comment receiving replies
My first comment would be to see a doctor who specializes in knees or any other joint that hurts.
I addressed my pains one at a time and discovered I have osteo arthritis in several joints, a major impingement in the hip, torn meniscus in one knee, greater trochanter bursitis, accumulation of inflammation in one joint, rotator cuff damage, and significant abdominal tumors that all needed to be treated separately from PMR since they are unrelated. Remember PMR is a default diagnosis, so you need to eliminate other causes for your pain before throwing them in the PMR bucket.
Just my opinion based on personal experience. BTW my rheumatologist wanted to toss them all into PMR. Granted PMR aggravated the pain of each but was not the root cause of any.
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I was diagnosed with major inflammatory arthritis in my early twenties ( I’m 74 now). I could not turn over in bed, walk or get up from a chair! At the time I was hospitalized and given whole body hydrotherapy (like a very warm whirlpool, it felt so good on my joints). They would rotate between hot and cold therapy. I was also put on a medication called Indocin (a NSAID), aspirin for pain and prednisone—which was pretty much all the meds they had at that time! I was unable to work for a year—had a lot of physical therapy during this time, especially to my knees.
My PMR didn’t start until 2 years ago. I’m on my second flare and tapered to 7.5mg of prednisone, waiting to start infusions of Actemra.
I also have osteoarthritis with age, in my hands and in two of my fingers I have those ugly “bone spurs”.
Best of wishes on your health journey.
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On the other hand, I first went to a gp who treated all my issues separately. I went for an MRI, physical therapy, colonoscopy (anemic blood markers), prescribed massive NSAIDs, etc. It wasn’t until a PA referred me to a rheumatologist that I found relief from all my symptoms with prednisone. I do not intend to minimize anyone’s experience, but in my case, PMR was the correct diagnosis and prednisone was the answer.