@trudy9
Thank you for your help with this issue. I wish I had thought more about taking prednisone. I was just so miserable.
I remember back to my last cervical fusion a few months before I was diagnosed. The first fusion was anterior, C4-C7, a pretty easy recovery actually. The pain was minimal. At six weeks I went for my X-ray, where they discovered one of the screws had loosened and was aimed at my airway.
Doctor said my osteopenia was not the cause, it was a bad screw.
I was scheduled for a removal and another surgery, this time a posterior fusion. Terribly painful, they cut through the back muscles so every arm movement caused terrible pain. I was unable to get out of bed except for the bathroom.
The surgeon gave me IV steroids, the next morning I had my walk down the hallway and I was discharged home!
Steroids were also helpful in getting me off my chair over the next few weeks, intermittently.
The surgery was September 29th, and I was diagnosed with PMR in January 2026.
My steroid dosage was only 8 mg. Daily, as the rheumatologist knew I had osteopenia. I had 12 mg. For 2 weeks, only because I complained of pain.
Here I am all these months later. Still trying to taper off from 6 mg.
I’ve been getting PT for my additional problems - I had fractured my sacrum; and when looking at my CT scans they found I had an old ‘chronically healing’ pelvis rami. A break that won’t heal. Which caused tendonopathy of my hip, I couldn’t walk! I had a walker, a cane, but now finally I’m walking around and so much better after Physical therapy.
I am hoping the Kevzara will help me get off the steroids. And help with this pain, it feels never ending sometimes!
For anyone who worries about taking steroids, I advise to be careful and try to taper as soon as you can.