Anyone having any luck with treating PMR without any specific medicati

Not sure what I would have done without prednisone or another medication to help with the pain when I had PMR. I know that nothing over the counter helped at all with the PMR pain for me. I tried them all prior to being diagnosed the first time with PMR when I didn't have a rheumatologist appointment for several months before I was diagnosed and started a treatment. I did find that changing my lifestyle and eating less inflammatory foods and sugar helped my taper off of prednisone in almost half the time when my PMR came back after being in remission for six years.

From your previous posts, it sounds like methotrexate had some bad side effects for you and didn't help with your pain. Have you discussed any alternatives with your rheumatologist to see if there may be an alternative that helps with the pain and fewer side effects?

Ask your dr abt Kevzara. OTC I use Tylenol for arthritis. Keep asking

Thank you so very much for your response to my comment!!! I am an exception to the rule when it comes to medication’s. Medication‘s that I was taking worked for a while then they decided not to work and I felt bad when I was on everyone of them!!! some of them worked and some of them did not work but when they worked all of a sudden they didn’t work anymore. At this point I am going to take one day at a time and see what happens. Thank you very much for reaching out!!! my very best wishes to you and your family!!! thank you for doing what you’re doing!

When you say the medications you tried worked and then didn't work any more, did you take prednisone? If so, do you mean you had a flare while reducing?

I have had problems with classic meds for PMR because I am alergic to all NSAIDs so no help there and the prednisone had very limited benefit. I was also seeing an Infectious Disease specialist and after 6 years managed to get him to agree to Rx Doxycycline. I have been on it now for almost 5 months. Since it is off label and he is straight arrow I agreed to write a note every 2 weeks to provide details on the 8 symptoms we are following. Some of the symptoms have seen great improvements, others not really. My inflammatory markers are down and I feel better along those lines than I have felt in 6 years since I first had markers into the 100's.

Apparently the Cycline drugs have an anti-inflammatory property as well as being an antibiotic. My WBC was only slightly elevated, not enough to suggest a bacterial infection.
Minocycline is in the Cycline family and is used off label for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Depending on your Rheumy's approach they might be willing to Rx Minocycline.

It took me literally 6 years to get doxy from my ID doc. It was after I got some for a respiratory problem and then another 6 months of tests that eliminated things like Q Fever. I had known for years that doxy made me feel better (in ways prednisone never has) and initially begged for it from multiple doctors and no one would take me seriously. Many dermatology problems are treated with long term Rx of doxy. My own Endo has been on it for 5 years.

I wish you success on your journey. Try to enjoy what you can daily and continue to push your doctors to think out-of-the-box. Each body is different and we each come with our own opinions. It's not easy for us and our doctors.

Thank you very very much for your reply I appreciate it very very much!!! you are right about everybody is so so different and each person reacts so differently two medication’s!!!I am taking one day at a time. my very best wishes to you!!! and thank you very much for your response!!!

When I went on prednisone the first time it worked very nicely except I was lightheaded all the time and had trouble keeping my balance. The second time I went on prednisone I took it for five months and it was like I was taking sugar it did not do one thing for my pain nothing!!! thank you very much for asking. my very best wishes to you!