Hello! I was officially diagnosed with PMR on March 17 this year. Late January, started having burning pain around my knees and neck and shoulder pain and stiffness. Thought it was due to bad pillows and awkward sleeping positions. Spent a small fortune on specialty pillows. That didn’t help. Pain and stiffness got so bad I’d be in tears trying to get myself out of bed in the mornings. I’d had CMC surgery on my left nasal thumb joint December 11 and thought I must have somehow overcompensated for that hand being braced. I felt like thd TinMan unable to lift my arms, turn my head. I’d warm up heating pads and drape then around my shoulders and knees in the mornings. I was relieved to be able to put a name on what I was dealing with. At 67 yrs old, I was not wanting to chalk it up to “old age” as this seemed to come out of left field.

So now I’m seeing a Rheumatologist and on the 2nd week of a 28 day course of decreasing dosage of prednisone. (Started last week 20 mg daily. This week 15mg daily) Dr. also ordered a scrip for hydroquinone I think it’s called. Is this a standard routine or first line approach to the management of pain and stiffness?
I’ve noticed that the pain and stiffness had lessened a lot the first several days on the 20mg then seems to shift location.
I want to add that I’ve been wondering if stress from life changes could have triggered PMR.
My father in law died last October, my mom, who had Alzheimer’s and was in assisted living, fell last summer, broke her hip, and eventually died last November. I’d had the thumb surgery early December, my sister slipped on black ice and broke her hip after that. Then in mid January I had to have dental surgery! Everything everywhere all at once!