Working out with PMR

At least for me, the longer term effects of prednisone are worth the short term "over thinking". The quicker you can understand this disease and the effects prednisone has your system or the disease the better. Your doing a great job. Keep after it.

John @johnbishop, Thank you so much for those links! I am learning a lot about PMR through them and through this and other discussion threads. I spoke with my PT yesterday about my confusion regarding what to attribute my soreness to and when to back off or push through exercising, or when to give it a day's rest. Other symptoms for me include morning stiffness, afternoon/evening light headedness and feeling increasingly flushed, foggy and wiped out as the day progresses as well as generalized anxiety (which I attribute to prednisone). I am trying to figure out what is going on. Of my symptoms, what is attributable to the flare? What is over-extending my limits? Am I tapering too fast or too slow? (It sometimes feels like just too much prednisone in my body.)

The PTs response was that we could slow things way down to isolate factors as in a scientific experiment (do everything the same except modulate one factor over time). But the patience that would require and the unintended consequences of say, stopping making any gains in the gym, would extend a person's prednisone duration for months or years and take down our general health and well-being--bringing on a secondary "illness." Avoiding over-use of prednisone is my number one priority. Of course, we're all eager to get out from under prednisone's side-effects.

So I'm trying to clear the fog somehow. Maybe I'm making this harder than it needs to be and am trying to be overly analytical when an easy-going exploratory, intuitive approach may be better. Straddling these ideas, I've decided to add dietary supplements for pain control. I am currently trying PEA (Palmitoylethanolamide) for "Discomfort Relief." I purchased some SPM (a fish oil concentrate that is designed to "target root causes of soreness by supporting the body’s natural ability to soothe and minimize discomfort.") These aren't my ideas--I am working with a naturopathic health practitioner to oversee this. I can't say I'm into meditation, but I am trying to soothe my nervous system in ways that may have some resemblance to meditation.

So I am with you guys. Thankful and really interested in learning from your experiences, all the while recognizing that this is an individualized experience. We each have to find our own way through it.

Before PMR, I was riding my bike for some good distances, two or three hours out on the road, a hard hour + on my indoor trainer. My stamina has gotten knocked back with this condition: I can’t generate the watts I used to, and I haven’t been able to ride with my usual Saturday group. I’ve become aware of a lower limit where pushing myself feels more like injury than training.
But my PMR seems to be subsiding after a year, and I’m feeling stronger again! Hoping to join that group ride again this spring. I agree with the others that exercise is critical, but you do need to be aware of your limits.
One last observation I’ve had reading comments in this forum: so many of us come from very active lives, and great fitness, into this unfortunate condition. I haven’t seen any studies, but I do find it curious.

@leetaanderson Wow.....your story sounds like mine! Before PMR I was a very active 70 year old competitive cyclist winning gold medals both for state and national championships. Three years ago I had a very serious bike crash that put me into the hospital for 3 weeks but my attitude and physical condition was able to recover from major pelvis surgery, total hip replacement and total knee replacement. Despite the major surgeries I was able to recover and get back to cycling joining the local A rides in my neighborhood,........Then out of nowhere I woke up one morning with PMR! Fortunately I did not listen to my GP doc who said I did not have PMR.....I had some pred. on hand that I refused to take in the past for a ear infection so I tested as per my online research and I went from level 9 pain to 0 within hours.........I knew then I had PMR. Fortunately I was able to get more pred. to hold me over until I saw a Rumy doc who also confirmed I had PMR. I started with 20 mg and quickly tapered to 10 mg and have been tapering down with 1 mg. per every three weeks..........I'm now down to 5 mg with a goal to be off pred. within a total of 6-8 months. This has been quite the journey but with the help of this forum, and with lots of careful research I'm doing quite well, so far. I plan on getting back to the physical level I was at before my crash and I do get a lot of resistance and defiance from non athletic friends on that statement. This is what I learned so far after almost 4 months: It's imperative to adhere to a very strict non inflammatory diet, try to exercise everyday for at least 30 min. at a time such as a walk, stationary diet.....light weight lifting......lots of supplements to counter the pred. side effects, saunas, if possible hyperberic chamber, no or very little if any alcohol, no gluten..........I have broken these rules about once per month :)). I wanted to share my journey to help give some uplifting advise to those just getting started on this journey. Hope this helps someone.

@leetaanderson Wow.....your story sounds like mine! Before PMR I was a very active 70 year old competitive cyclist winning gold medals both for state and national championships. Three years ago I had a very serious bike crash that put me into the hospital for 3 weeks but my attitude and physical condition was able to recover from major pelvis surgery, total hip replacement and total knee replacement. Despite the major surgeries I was able to recover and get back to cycling joining the local A rides in my neighborhood,........Then out of nowhere I woke up one morning with PMR! Fortunately I did not listen to my GP doc who said I did not have PMR.....I had some pred. on hand that I refused to take in the past for a ear infection so I tested as per my online research and I went from level 9 pain to 0 within hours.........I knew then I had PMR. Fortunately I was able to get more pred. to hold me over until I saw a Rumy doc who also confirmed I had PMR. I started with 20 mg and quickly tapered to 10 mg and have been tapering down with 1 mg. per every three weeks..........I'm now down to 5 mg with a goal to be off pred. within a total of 6-8 months. This has been quite the journey but with the help of this forum, and with lots of careful research I'm doing quite well, so far. I plan on getting back to the physical level I was at before my crash and I do get a lot of resistance and defiance from non athletic friends on that statement. This is what I learned so far after almost 4 months: It's imperative to adhere to a very strict non inflammatory diet, try to exercise everyday for at least 30 min. at a time such as a walk, stationary diet.....light weight lifting......lots of supplements to counter the pred. side effects, saunas, if possible hyperberic chamber, no or very little if any alcohol, no gluten..........I have broken these rules about once per month :)). I wanted to share my journey to help give some uplifting advise to those just getting started on this journey. Hope this helps someone.