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PMR and Sciatica with Back Pain

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 8, 2023 | Replies (37)

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@johnbishop

Welcome @janiceem, I know that tapering can be difficult and overdoing exercises can sometimes make it worse. Here are a couple of related discussions that you might find helpful:

-- Tapering off of Prednisone: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone/
-- sciatica pain and exercise: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sciatica-pain-and-exercise/

It sounds like you've seen a couple of doctors and the diagnosis changed. Was the PMR diagnosed by a rheumatologist?

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Replies to "Welcome @janiceem, I know that tapering can be difficult and overdoing exercises can sometimes make it..."

John, Thank you for your reply. I will check out the links. My primary physician changed recently and she happens to be a DO. My prior physician was an MD and failed to diagnose my PMR until I saw a rheumatologist 4 months later. My case is mild, I guess, compared to others since I only felt pain when lying down. When I started taking 10 mg of Prednisone, my pain went away at night. Since on the prednisone, my pain has migrated to my deltoides and even towards my neck at one time, after I ceased the prednisone months ago for a short time. I'm only taking 1 mg. prednisone now, but I do want to get off of it entirely. I know that I'm eventually going to get COVID, like everyone else has, and I don't want my immune system to be compromised. I was an extremely healthy 66 year old woman when all of this started and hadn't had a cold or flu in decades! I'm also a registered dietitian, so I eat a whole foods, organic diet, high in anti-inflammatories, so this may be helping me somewhat with my PMR. Don't know.