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PMR and Sciatica with Back Pain
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 8, 2023 | Replies (37)Comment receiving replies
Also have lower disc issues at the moment, sometimes going down my right leg. Yes....my PMR started a few days after my first Pfizer vax in May 2021, but was not aware of what it was. Neck and shoulder pain all summer. Fast forward to August 4, 2021, second Pfizer vax. Ten days later, tried to get up out of bed. Could not move. Got into the tub and my daughter had to help me out. It progressed to right hand (like carpel tunnel) except my hand looked like a claw and was going numb. Progressed to my hips and upper thighs. Finally, now-retired GP referred me for bloodwork in December 2021. Showed CRP at 42. Previously he'd blamed all this on old age. He retired in December, but managed to refer me to a Neurologist. Diagnosed with PMR in Jan. 2022, after 6 months of agony, still trying to work part time until I could no longer do that. Pyriformis exercises make everything worse, in my case. I have managed to get from 20mg Prednisone to 11.5 (just this week). Slowly tapering, but felt the difference on awakening this morning: neck and shoulders. Back to work part time. I will persevere to see if it levels off. If not, back up to 12 mg. 1 mg. is my goal for now and ultimately to be off it completely. All the best to you my friend.
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Dear Friend.
I empathize with you. I wrote the wrong year in my initial post. I had my second Pfizer vaccine in March 2021 and that's when it all started, but I only hurt at night until the sciatica kicked in in August following a flu. My sciatica has improved since then, but all the PT and stretches seemed to make it worse, not better (and I used to be religious about yoga). Since I could lift my arms over my head without pain and my bloodwork was normal, it went undiagnosed for 4 months until I saw a rheumatologist. I started with 10 mg. of Prednisone and tapered down by 1 mg. every 2 weeks. I went off the prednisone twice, but the pain returned in my shoulders and my sciatica got worse, so I just took 6 mg. today, but plan to take 2 mg. for 2 weeks and then 1 mg again for who knows how long. It could be 5 years in some cases!! Hope not because it makes me more susceptible to diseases, like COVID. Prior to this I was rarely ever sick. All the best to you!