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@johnbishop

Hi John @digregorioj, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for the private message. I thought I would answer you here in the discussion since you posted your symptoms. I went for almost 2 months before I went to my primary care doctor who then sent me to see a rheumatologist after my appointment/exam by him. It started with some unrelated issues (gout in right foot and swollen knee) and just got worse until I could barely walk and had extreme pain in my shoulder, arms, hand and legs which is when I went to the doctor. That was my first bout with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) back in 2007. I was treated with 20 mg prednisone dosage which got rid of the pain the same day. They also withdrew some fluid from my knee and gave me a steroid shot for the knee problem. I was able to taper off the prednisone after 3 years when the PMR with into remission.

I have since been diagnosed with osteopenia, idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy (no pain, just numbness in the feet to above the ankles), lymphedema and sleep apnea. I also have advanced degenerative arthritis in my knee joints.

@digregorioj, have you have seen a rheumatologist?

Here is another discussion I would recommend reading...

> Groups > Neuropathy > Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

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Replies to "Hi John @digregorioj, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for the private message. I thought..."

Hi John,

Thanks for the response. I haven't seen a rheumatologist yet. The one my pain doctor wants me to see is booked out until September. I was curious to know how this started for other people. I woke up seven years ago with my neck, shoulders, and face in spasm, and no one can seem to figure out why. The pain doctor thinks it is immune system related as the pain increases a few times a year.