I am sorry it took so long to diagnose you -- I can empathize because I had a similar experience. I thought that extreme exercising injured my thigh muscles and pain started in late April. It got more and more debilitating (hips down to knees but no arms yet), saw doc first time in early July and blood work was crazy - high platelets, severe anemia. I had taken NSAIDS daily for pain for 2 months so my PCP thought anemia might be stomach bleeding. Pain in thighs was not really addressed. I was put on nexium and she sent me to a hematologist who treated the anemia with infusions and almost did a bone biopsy but platelets had come down some. She had earlier thought I had either broken a hip (did an x-ray) or that my bad back was causing my legs to hurt (ordered PT which I couldn't even go to if I wanted to due to PMR pain and fatigue). I saw my PCP twice after that plus the hemodoc and when my arms and neck started to really hurt I went back to her on Oct. 20. I had by now looked up my symptoms (pain in thighs, hips, upper arms etc.) and thought I had PMR, but I let my doc come to that conclusion, which she did. I started on 20 prednisone and within 3 days was feeling more like myself. PMR did such a number on me that the person in the mirror looked like an old, sick version of me, and a scary one. She referred me to a rheumatologist (first appt. Dec. 9) and he has me on 10. So it's been quite a journey and not over yet. I see him again in March and am hopeful he will cut the 10 down a little. I realize that slow tapering is the best for long term remission, but like all of us, am anxious to not be on prednisone for too long. And, like all of us, am so grateful to be feeling better on it. At my worst I took 3 naps a day and did the minimum to get through life (I live alone). Covid did me a favor and the library I work at was closed for May and June and then we worked part time until Sept. I could not have worked full time if my life depended on it at my worst. Good news about this disease is that it does no damage to muscles, ligaments, or joints - yay! We have to stick out the treatment and hope it's shorter rather than longer!

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