As part of my history, about 35 years ago I had pain in my shoulder girdle and hip girdle for no reason and fatigue. When I went to the Rheumatologist (R) I apparently gave him a textbook definition of PMR. He Rx 10 mg P daily and within 6 hours I was a new man. No pain or fatigue. When the blood work was run I had normal SED rate and normal CRP. Now the problems begin. After a year the symptoms returned. I went on 10 mg of P and everything was fine and I reduced my P to 0. But then a year later PMR returned. This went on for 25 years. Then I went on 2.5 mg a day and was good for about 4-5 years. After 5 years I started to get pain again and 5 years later, now, I am on 5 mg of P with good results. During these 35 years I have seen 4 Rs. The first one then 20 years later the second one who thought I was doing so well that anything else he could give me would not be as helpful or have more side effects. The third R after the longest physical exam I have every had (1.6 hours, hard to believe) said "I do not think you have PMR, but I do not know what you have." The 4th R thought initally that I had something else since my original symptoms started at age 40 and most PMR is after 50.
He ran more test which were negative for what I think he thought was sarcodosis. So now I am on 5 mp of P daily, with a bone scan yearly to see if I get osteoporosis. My recent bone scan was normal or above normal probably due to the extensive amount of exercise I do.