PMR and Hip, Back Pain

Sounds like you are having the trochantor bursitis that plagues so many of us. Mine is on my left side where I had hip replacement. I would suggest doing the "vascular pump" and see if it helps. You start and finish with a cold pack and alternate it with a heating pad. Go back and forth severaL times. Always end with cold to reduce inflamation. It might help. It did mine.

I am begining to be of the same mind. It is hard to tell the mechanical from the "disease". I have lots of mechanical reasons for pain. But don't want more pred, that's for sure.

How do you know when you have achieved remission? How do you tell when you have had a relapse?

The usual answer is whether or not you need to take prednisone. I took prednisone for more than 12 years for "active" PMR. Sometimes my disease activity was more active than other times. When I tapered down to zero prednisone, I soon had to go back on prednisone within a few days.

I have now been off prednisone for nearly 3 years. I'm being treated with a biologic called Actemra for active PMR. However, I can't tell if PMR is active or not. Except for taking a medication to treat PMR --- how do you know if PMR is active or not.

I still have lots of aches and pains. I seem to have more arthritis than one would expect for normal "wear and tear" osteoarthritis.

I also have a low cortisol level. Adrenal insufficiency also can cause aches and pains.

It could also be some kind of myopathy because I have an elevated CK level. Maybe that is causing some pain.

My uric acid level is elevated too. My rheumatologist thinks I may have some gout but that hasn't been diagnosed.

Is there any sure way to know if PMR is the problem???

I'm just wondering what the criteria is.

It might be inflammatory arthritis too but my rheumatologist says PMR is my primary diagnosis and I just have a "history of" inflammatory arthritis.

I agree with you ...as long as my pain stays at this level, I don't want to go on prednisone again.

Not sure I know what is considered the criteria for PMR remission but for me it's trying to figure out if some of my pain is related to other conditions - arthritis, degenerative disc disease, etc. Here's something I found but it doesn't really ring a bell with me.

-- Predictors of complete remission in polymyalgia rheumatica: https://ard.bmj.com/content/76/Suppl_2/608.1

Has anyone tried CBD or THC for PMR pain? It is legal here but you have to go to special doctors. Not sure my GP and rheumy would consider it.

I have had PMR for two years. Initially hospitalized for a week the pain was intense, but mostly in my upper body.
Recently I have had a problem with pain in my left hip and back. I thought it was a muscle, but it is not acting like a muscle strain.

I hate to blame everything on PMR, but need to find relief from this The doctor was going to put me on a strong series of Prednisone and I said no, as it has taken me a year to taper down to 5 mg. Yet if it is PMR I will know if that works. Right?

Can someone tell me what your hip pain felt like related to PMR?

Any great advice?

Have you had much in the way of xrays, MRI's, scans or a full body scintigraphy done? I can't see how any doctor can recommend an increase in an already potentially problematic drug without eliminating the possibility of an actual physical or mechanical cause of your hip and back pain first. Perhaps you have arthritis or impingement in or around your hip and lower back. Only imagining will tell you that and if you do have such problems a different treatment plan may be less dangerous than increasing prednisone such as physio or a good osteopath.

I was diagnosed with PMR a few months ago after a period of intense pain and stiffness all over and had blood test results to support the diagnosis. But, over the years I seem to have developed a lot of arthritis in many joints and recently my lower back and my hips are giving me pain. Imaging shows lumbar disc problem and impingement in my left hip. Sometimes my legs (both of them) stiffen up completely from my hips all the way down to my ankles with sciatica type pain. Not fun if it happens when I'm driving and I desperately need to get out of the car to stretch them in traffic. But at least I do know the reason for it.

Without having the various imaging tests done I've had done every time a new pain kicks in somewhere on my body, I'd have no idea about just how badly affected by arthritis I am. It seems that, for some people, once you get arthritis of any sort in once place in your body, it can actually progress significantly over time to other parts.

I think, if you haven't had any imaging done, I'd ask for that to be done first. I suppose an increase in prednisone might help with any new pain but perhaps there might be better solutions if the cause is mechanical.

@thereselefever, You will notice that we merged your post with an existing discussion so that you could meet other members with PMR who have experience with hip and back pain. If you click the link below it will take you to the beginning of the discussion.
-- PMR and Hip, Back Pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-and-hipback-pain/

Please be evaluated by a good Physical Therapist. Mechanical low back pain, hip and pelvis pain is very commonly treated. I would rule out this before blaming anything on PMR.

I greatly appreciate all of the insight to my question regarding hip and back pain.

I have had extensive imaging done, and yes I have lots of arthritis, yes I have had two hip replacements, yes I have had six back surgeries, but they cannot relate the pain I am having to any of that. Sooooo, guess what I think it is!!!??? We live in the tension of wanting to be off of prednisone and needing to live our lives with as little pain as possible.

I appreciate all of the remarks. There is some comfort in knowing I am not alone.