Hello @barabarene -- I'm glad you are feeling better. Part of the battle with PMR is to stay as active and exercise as much as you can without over doing it. I've been off of prednisone since the end of February and I do have some aches and pains but nothing that is bad enough to go back on prednisone yet. This was my second round with PMR. The first time it took me 3 years to taper off then it went into remission for 6 years. This second time around hasn't been quite as bad. I was on prednisone for about a year and half or so. The thing different about my first round with PMR was diet and exercise. Due to other health issue problems, mainly my small fiber peripheral neuropathy, I started looking into nutrition and exercise which I think has played some part with the PMR. My main diet changes were to eat less red meat and lots more fruit and vegetables paying attention to portion control which was a big problem for me. I am by no means an exercise nut. I have a recumbent exercise bike that I ride for 30 minutes 4 to 5 days a week when I first get up in the morning. I think this helps with my leg strength and gets me loosened up to start my day. Then I try to do some mild exercise with hand weights once or twice a day if I get an opportunity. It has helped me lose some weight and limited the weight gain I had with my first round of PMR.

Don't give up on tapering off of prednisone. You might want to try to split the 1 mg tablet and try reducing dosage to 1-1/2 mg to see how you feel. This is what I did when I reached an impasse trying to taper down. Also, if you aren't able to do taper off, it's better than the pain.

Hoping for a pain free day for you and all my PMR friends.
God Bless,
John

Dear Everyone: This is Peach here with good news. With 2 bulging disks, (lumbar spine) a pinched nerve affecting the sciatic nerve going down the entire right side of the leg to the toes I went to a chiropractor I knew of. Well. GUESS WHAT: AFTER GOING TO THE DOCTOR FOR 6 TIMES THE HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PAIN IS GONE. GONE, GONE. The pain in the knee (also right side) is still there. The miniscus but not torn. I am going to a doctor for this tomorrow, Friday. And while all this is going on I cannot walk on my right foot without bad pain. So here we go again. Still on this pain merry go round. There are at least three plantar fibromas on my feet. Went to a doctor for this. Very,very painful injection. Will be going back for more. I keep singing inside my head "help", "help", "help". Knowing my health record all I can think of is Amyloidosis. When I put my mind into an area where it goes to the pains of other people who are dying in great pain with cancer I feel grateful for my life. Also, I must still help other people whenever I can. It is good for you and for the ones you are helping. Thinking of "HOPE". Love to all and kisses to chiropractors!

Dear Barbara,
It's been a couple of years since you posted and I wonder how you are doing now. In mid-May 2020 I lost sight in my right eye overnight and thank God, was immediately diagnosed with Giant Cell Arteritis. I was urgently put on 60 mg prednisone, now tapered down to 20 mg with another month down to 10 mg on which I will have to take for the rest of my life in order to save the other eye. Am looking forward to getting back to normal. I hope I don't have to take this high dose again. l've gained 6kg, some of it water but mostly fat. I realize I will have to deal with mild side-effects of prednisone but I am ready to make that sacrifice.

PMR is a companion to GCA and I think I may have had it for 10 or more years, un-diagnosed.

I'm writing because I am concerned about what you said about Tramadol. I took it for the body pain of what I now think is PMR for 2 years and gradually got worse and worse. When I finally realized I might be addicted, I decided I had to come off of it, suffered greatly for 2 or 3 weeks but now feel much better. My legs seem to work much better without it. I hope you can report the same thing.

All the best,
Jeanne