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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jan 27 8:38am | Replies (1879)Comment receiving replies
Hi: I'm Chris and was just diagnosed with PMR (a week ago) and am now on 10 mg. Prednisone. Let me go back to the beginning...
In December of 2018 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went through the procedures of chemo, surgery and radiation, and by December of 2019 got the all clear. I did develop neuropathy from the chemo and am still living with that, but it seems a lesser problem than the PMR. In late January I had my 5 year colonoscopy and was diagnosed with diverticulitis and was put on a 7 day regiment of Cipro and flagyl (sp). Two days after taking Cipro I felt like I had been hit by a truck. It took 2-1/2 months to come up with a diagnosis of PMR. The symptoms have certainly eased, especially being able to get out of bed in the morning, but I still have slight shoulder pain and total fatigue. My question is how long does this fatigue last? Should it not have gone away when I started on the Prednisone? I try to exercise a little but tire so easily. Oh yes I am a 77 year old female who has been healthy and active all my life up until now. Your input would be appreciated.
Replies to "Hi: I'm Chris and was just diagnosed with PMR (a week ago) and am now on..."
Hi Chris, sorry to hear of your difficulties. I am similar age to yourself and also had rapid, overnight actually, onset of PMR. I am wondering if shock plays a part in this. Your colonosopy and the medication in your case, and in my case spending a couple of days with my ex husband and finding he had extreme paranoia all of a sudden living in fear of intruders, etc. Plays with your mind for sure. Anyhow I rapidly got onto prednisone at 15 mg a day and 16 months later got myself down to 2 and a half but in view of this pandemic cutting down to one one day, one and a half the next, for sake of immune system. Just holding the stiffness at bay. You ask about fatigue. Its a funny thing, comes and goes. Mine is more just sometimes my eyes shut and I drift off in company, or wherever. Kids just put it down to old age lol.It will last a day, then ok for a week perhaps. Its stayed the same from before diagnosis til now on very small amount of prednisone. Take Care in these difficult times.
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Hello Chris @ncgal, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You certainly have had a lot on your plate and adding PMR to that is a double whammy. My PMR is currently in remission but I have had two occurrences and was started on 20 mg prednisone both times and it was the magic pill - pretty much all my pain went away until I started tapering off of prednisone (which you want to do when the pain/inflammation is controlled). The first time it took me almost 3 years to taper off with the last few months going back and forth between 1 mg and 1/2 mg until I was finally able to stop taking it with minimum aches and pain. The second time around came 6 years later and took me 1-1/2 years to taper off with similar tapering. You are right about the first time feeling like you were hit by a truck.
Since you have only recently been diagnosed with PMR and just started prednisone, it might be worth calling your rheumatologist or doctor to see if the dosage should be adjusted upward if your pain is too much. Fatigue can be a problem.
Another thing that did help me was a lifestyle change with my eating habits. I still have my days but try to avoid certain foods and the big one sugar. You might find these articles helpful.
What to eat if you have polymyalgia rheumatica: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321683
3 Strategies for Coping with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR):
-- https://www.arthritis-health.com/blog/3-strategies-coping-polymyalgia-rheumatica-pmr
Peripheral Neuropathy Nutrition: https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/lifestyle/nutrition/
Chris are you able to sleep well?