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Is it PMR or muscle soreness from overuse
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 20, 2025 | Replies (16)Comment receiving replies
My pain started in my right shoulder. Then moved to my left shoulder. PMR then progressed to my legs , knees, hands and hips. I did not have elevated markers. The one place it did not settle was my lower back. This progression of pain happened over about a 3 month period. Prednisone is designed to limit your immune system and reduce inflammation. It can be used on a variety of inflammatory type responses. I agree with seniormed that taking prednisone is not a definitive diagnosis of PMR. You dont mention your age, however legs, knees and hips could be simply over working those muscles. It can take weeks to feel better from any kind of over exertion. If the pain suddenly moves to other places then I might be concerned. Prednisone can be a very difficult drug to manage if your taking it for the wrong reason that makes it even less attractive. Try some muscles relaxers or just about anything to see if they make a difference.
Replies to "My pain started in my right shoulder. Then moved to my left shoulder. PMR then progressed..."
My pain progressed the same way except I didn't have any Prednisone to take like I usually did for pain. First, one shoulder ached and all day long I carried one arm with the other arm. I felt like I needed a sling for my bad arm. The next day both shoulders ached and I decided two slings wasn't practical and I couldn't put a sling on anyway. I needed help getting out of a chair and wiping was impossible. After about a week I couldn't get out of bed and get dressed without a lot of help.
My only doctor at the time was my ophthalmologist who always prescribed Prednisone for uveitis. I didn't think I needed any other kind of doctor so I listed my ophthalmologist as my primary care doctor. I couldn't call that doctor because I didn't have uveitis. I was angry with myself because I had discarded my entire stash of Prednisone about 2 weeks prior to all of this. I simply decided that I wasn't going to take Prednisone anymore
My wife hated that I took so much Prednisone before PMR was diagnosed. She made an appointment for me to see her primary care doctor without telling me. I wasn't too happy but she was going with me to the appointment so I wouldn't leave out any details.
All I said was that I needed prednisone but that didn't go over well with my wife's primary care doctor. My wife told her the details and they agreed that I needed a rheumatologist. As you have said in the past ... I was busted when I confessed to self medicating with prednisone for years.
I blamed the whole ordeal on not having Prednisone to take. I felt vindicated when the rheumatologist said I would need Prednisone for a year or two. I didn't need to hoard Prednisone anymore but I had no idea what PMR was. I had significantly elevated inflammation markers so at least I didn't have to contend with convincing someone I was in some serious pain.
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You bring up very good points. I am 62. However the few times I have been given prednisone, for bronchitis flare up, it really wiped me out so I am torn about rushing into taking it. If I had not over exerted myself prior to the hip, hamstring and knee pain I would be very suspicious that I have some inflammatory condition. So far the pain has not migrated other muscles other than some bicep soreness after the PT stretches and they are minimal. Was your pain debilitating? So you could not walk? Or constant and dull? Maybe pain level runs a spectrum of intensity. Thank you for the insights