@pmrsuzie And doctors wonder why patients self diagnose and treat. It's crazy for a rheumatologist dealing with PMR to refuse to deal with cortisol, although notice that mine didn't even mention it. My endo is a PA, and I am thinking that he may be better than a physician because he was not as conditioned to think in algorithms.

@pmrsuzie Wow. I am getting tired of being totally sedentary. Does it get to the point where you can actually function? I was walking about 2 miles per day before this started. I am also a professional potter and need to make about 50 more pieces for a couple of fall shows I am committed to doing. I'm a handbuilder so 1) I work standing, and 2) my process is much slower than that of people who work on the wheel. I have been spending the past couple of weeks basically alternating between bed and chair. Tell me this won't be my life from now on.

I do feel very lucky to have my endocrinologist. He first rescued me 4 years ago when I was finally diagnosed with a parathyroid tumor that appears to have been quietly damaging my body for decades. I actually developed PMR not long after my surgery. When we discuss the results of my cortisol level tests, I am going to ask him if there is some sort of relationship between the two and if the key to everything lies in my remaining parathyroid gland.