Ruptured breast implants ... now that is a strange turn of events!

I do fear there are many PMR cases that are misdiagnosed. The criteria for what constitutes PMR isn't exactly clear. I have read the criteria many, many times. In my opinion, the symptoms of PMR are basically the same for all autoimmune conditions.

My rheumatologist would refrain from telling me exactly what my problem was. She had to call it something so PMR was a justification for starting long term prednisone.

I had a long history of reactive arthritis with uveitis that was well documented before PMR was diagnosed. I took prednisone intermittently for 20 years to treat those conditions even though those conditions aren't treated with long term prednisone ... short term prednisone, yes as a bridge to something more effective.

When PMR was diagnosed, I asked a specific question about what happened to reactive arthritis. The response was that I was unlucky to have both PMR and inflammatory arthritis.

When I needed prednisone for much longer than the typical PMR patient, my rheumatologist started being more vague about my diagnosis. She started referring to "systemic inflammation" and "a full range of rheumatological problems" and avoided calling it just PMR.

"Deranged immune system" was another thing she called it!