I was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica in 2023, followed by a course of prednisone, tapering after a year and a half. I had been in good health before the incidence of PMR and have had no flares after tapering off. In January 2026 I began cramping and vomiting suddenly and thought it might be something I ate. After 6 hours and no relief, I went to the ER. There they did a CT scan, diagnosed a cecal volvulus and within hours I was on the operating room table having a colectemy. I have recovered well, the only nagging problem being diarrhea that is treatable with OTC drugs.

With my reading on cecal volvulus, I find it is uncommon but increasing in incidence in the northern hemisphere. I wonder if the prevalence of treating diseases with prednisone could be contributing. Prednisone thins the bone and skin, dried out my mouth, god knows what else it is doing internally. Could it be degrading the connection between the cecum and the perineum wall?

FYI, I had my DNA sampled for genealogical purposes and I am 100% northern European caucasian. 70-year-old female. No history of digestive problems.