Connect
← Return to Bilateral Muscle Pain in Arms, Legs, Neck and Shoulders
Discussion
Bilateral Muscle Pain in Arms, Legs, Neck and Shoulders
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Aug 31 12:46pm | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
I too had same experience. Woke up one morning in November of ‘24 with excruciating pain in both shoulders and hips. Had to sleep in one position as it was nearly impossible to use those body parts to turn or flip. Same with attempting to sit or get back up. Then took a minute or two to allow pain to subside to then walk. Actually felt my best when taking daily walk but when finished had to struggle to sit and remove shoes (not from walk but from PMR). Went over a month like that until GP had blood test run and diagnosed PMR. Prescribed prednisone and pain almost immediately diminished. I have seen rheumatologist three times and am slowly weening off of medication. I have been blessed that the terrible pains in original spot have not flared up and now dealing with low to medium pain in hands (knuckles and wrist) which for the time is bearable. I do not want to be on prednisone long but do realize that it will be the bridge to get me back to normal or what will be my new normal.
Replies to "I too had same experience. Woke up one morning in November of ‘24 with excruciating pain..."
I had exactly what you had. I started at 15 mg Prednisone and tapered to 0 in 15 months. At 3mg I started having pain in my fingers, thumb and wrists along with swelling. Rheumatologist took xrays and additional blood test and said it was osteoarthritis and kept decreasing the Prednisone. I was completely off Prednisone for three weeks and couldn't even make a fist anymore. Then my medical facility quit taking my insurance so I had to start seeing a different Reumatologist. She took xrays and more blood tests everything came back normal. She started me on Meloxicam that had no effect. She then thought I was having a reaction to coming off prednisone too fast and put me back on 10 mg Pednisone for 30 days, the alternate 10 and 5 every other day for two weeks, then 5 for 30 days. 5 and 4 every other day for two weeks then 4 for six weeks which is what I'm on now. So far no pain or swelling have come back. Don't rush to come off. Make sure you are not in pain when you decrease because it doesn't go away. Good luck.
Connect
I'm so glad your pain diminished immediately with the prednisone! Hopefully soon, you will be totally off it. I see doctor in about 10 days and now that he has lab report, can be able to diagnose. Everything you experienced with the pain, I have as well. Even the walking which was great and returning to struggle to sit and remove my shoes! Hopefully soon my pain will diminish as well.