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How to address PMR pain while decreasing prednisone
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Nov 6, 2023 | Replies (747)Comment receiving replies
Hello @awag, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I also have PMR but it is currently in remission. I have had 2 episodes. The first lasted about 3 years and the second about a year and half. I was started on 20 mg prednisone for both occurrences and was able to taper off with pain at a minimum. The key for me was to maintain some level of activity or mild exercise while tapering off of prednisone and to accept a little pain. The little is subjective for all of us. I have no experience with Plaquenil but hopefully other members can share their experience with you.
You've asked the question that a lot of us would love to know - why does the pain come and go? I'm guessing if they had an answer for the question we would all be doing the happy dance and PMR would be on it's way out the door.
My PMR has mostly been in the hands, arms, shoulders and joints/legs - stiffness with a lot of pain when it was bad. It sounds like your PMR is only in your hips? Has your doctor ruled out any other causes for the hip pain?
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Yes, I have had MRIs, X-rays and physical therapy (including dry needling, which set my condition wild). No evidence of anything amiss. My diagnosis seemed to be a process of elimination. The fact that the pain went away so rapidly when I took Prednisone, can came back when those effects wore off, was the main basis for my diagnosis. My pain is worse when I am still for periods of time. Have recently started some mild exercise, which I hope helps.