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Suddenly much better
I am approaching the 3rd anniversary of this blasted disorder, and have successfully tapered to 1.5 mg prednisone daily. But PMR has been ever present until one week ago. When I took my daily walk through the woods, I noticed pretty quickly that it no longer felt like my thighs were bound by an elastic cord, and my step felt much lighter--walking had become the joy that it always had been before PMR. My balance is back. My shoulders don't hurt. I can tell that the PMR hasn't quit, but for the present it has loosened its grip.
It took me two days to realize what had changed in my life, and perhaps why my PMR had lessened. I had pulled out my old cheap vibration plate to help with lower back pain (which is does). I used the plate for several days. PMR stayed calm; life looked suddenly much better.
There is no research on PMR and vibration, but if you ask one of the chatbots, as I did, you may find that WBV ("whole body vibration") can lessen inflammation, among other benefits. So it makes sense. I'll report later on whether or not my good fortune keeps up. Meanwhile, it's 15 minutes a day on the vibration plate.
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@linnead I did too! Been using 4 times a week 20 minutes. I can tell a difference!
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1 ReactionI began prednisone in May 2025.
Started at 15 mg and got to 20mg a day to get rid of stubborn hip pain.
Then I started down in dosage after a month. Went 15 to 12.5 to 10 at 30 day intervals.
Then started dropping one mg after 30 days. So a slow progression. doc says it seems to help keep PMR from coking back with this 30 day drop one Mg progression.
I am 10 days until going to 8 mg for 30 days and so far so good.
I read where some docs were lowering the mg after 3 days or a week.
If you are getting pain on this quicker pace try the drop 1 mg every 30 days. I will report back when I reach 6 or 7 mg a day.
Anyone else already do this route?
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1 ReactionHow big is your vibration plate? Or maybe how powerful is it? I am not familiar with one and would like to buy one to try
@leonalawrence
The slow progression helps some people keep the PMR from coming back
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1 Reaction@linnead
OMG…amazing! I have a hand held massage unit and it absolutely is helping to the point where I’d considered just this morning to buy a vibrating plate.
@leonalawrence It's about three inches high by 14 inches deep by 30 inches long. It works for me and I weigh 230 pounds--if that's what you mean by power.
@pkalkstein
Oh thank you. I have never seen a vibration plate so that helps me visualize it.
Amazon sounds like a good shopping stop.
@pattiobrien111
I bought the AXV vibrator plate from Amazon. Consumer Reports says this is the low cost option, $100. I have had about six sessions on it, 20 min per session. I think it is helping but the truth will be if I can successfully reduce the pred. On 9 mg now. I have found nothing reaches the pain, not massage, not ice, no pain creams. However these vibrations shake up the achy muscles and relax them, releasing the pain. I do stretches and lift light weights on the plate.
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1 ReactionI appreciate the information. Now, which one to buy. I’ll go with consumer reports on the AXV as the low cost option. I imagine it does the same thing as a more costly one. I can see how expensive some of the plates are.
I also have found Yoga beneficial. Like the vibrating plates, there are many Yoga options. It’s finding the right one.
@leonalawrence
My success at lower dose was no more than 10% reduction. Abt 7-8 it gets harder, don’t be surprised. Also it was 30 day intervals. If you get a reaction, you can alternate days, i.e., 8 day 1, then 7, for a week to ease into it.
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