Why does alcohol relieve my symptoms the next day?

"Stress-free" weekly ritual in the comfort zone? Maybe your experience wouldn't be the same if it was daily.

Maybe no significant answer, more mental, you look forward, are relaxed ☺️
Find another source for relaxing, massage, hot tub, pool walking, meditation, good ol movie , etc. Things that make PMR not the center of your universe.

I’m 2 months off all drugs, abt to have blood work, and have assorted tweaks, squeaks etc.
I start to ask myself, “is it the return of PMR?”
shoot me for the negative thoughts. I have to go back to my “happy place”……
Yucky disease!

Red wine is considered anti-inflammatory in moderation due to high levels of polyphenols, particularly resveratrol. It might be that the low levels of alcohol in wine do not do as much harm as the anti inflammatory properties do good. We are all different in reaction to meds and maybe alcohol. I'd be curious about how you feel the next day if you eliminate the martini one Friday, but if it works for you, why worry?

@kjoed53 To clarify, I definitely feel the traditional/negative effects of the alcohol the next morning, so it's not something I'd make a nightly routine to escape PMR pain -- not worth it.

I just find it strange that a couple drinks the night before completely and reliably eliminates my Saturday morning hand stiffness and shoulder pain. Would love to know the mechanism behind it. Maybe you are right and it is the resveratrol in the red wine.

Your first paragraph is me.

I miss alcohol at the end of some days. I know bourbon, scotch, tequila, moonshine, vodka, gin, and beer make me worse the next day or three.
I’ve never been a red wine aficionado, I know there’s a bottle or two around here. Maybe, I’ll pop a cork and do an experiment one evening next week.
I agree that it may be the psychological value of relaxation for you individually. Whatever works for you. No stress and quality sleep are the best for me.

@superfly999
That's what has me curious about how you would feel with just the one glass of red wine. The sulfites in wine can also cause unwelcome results in the morning. All wines have naturally occurring sulfites but some winemakers add more. You may want to avoid those and go with a no added sulfites option.

I understood not to imbibe alcohol when taking prednisone.

@clooney1 Some say don't do it, others say it's not an issue in moderation.

Okay...this is probably not good for many to hear. I AM NOT encouraging alcohol, but...I am 14 months in. Down to 2mg. I never gave up white wine. I'm anxious, probably should be on an anti-depressant but instead I average a glass of white wine a day. It definitely calms me. Maybe I average a little under a glass, since I started prednisone. I track my activity, wine, diet, and pain. The wine has not affected my pain at all.
To be honest, neither has the diet. I have had a few days when I said the heck with everything and ate anything. It did nothing.
The only thing that has affected me is the lowering of prednisone. It caused a little extra pain that lesssened after a few weeks. I always have some pain but I run/walk/lift daily.
Now that I'm so low, I'm fighting dull but annoying headaches. Not GCA so far. Numbers still down.
Good luck.
I gave up much for PMR. But there is no deal on 3 things: a glass of white wine, coffee, and running. Period. I hope I don't have to eventually give up those.

I am mystified. For what its worth my PCP and my board certified rheumatologist both told me that there are no studies that show alcohol adversely affects a PMR patient whether on prednisone or kevzara or both, as I now am. Yet there are many comments that say alcohol is bad for a PMR patient. At age 83 I find that even the smallest amount of alcohol inhibits sleep and leaves me fatigued the next day. I attribute that to the effects of aging not PMR. As a result I seldom drink but when I do its red wine and while I am tired the next day, I do not experience any unusual aches or pains characteristic of PMR.