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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jan 27 8:38am | Replies (1879)
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@christi48

I remember, when first diagnosed and not willing to take Pred., one night when the pain was so severe it felt like my entire body was on fire. That is when I gave in and started Pred. Can you imagine having this disease before Pred? I don't know how anyone could survive it. I'm not a pill-taker but this situation forced me to change my mind.

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Replies to "I remember, when first diagnosed and not willing to take Pred., one night when the pain..."
Teri | @tsc | Feb 20, 2023

Hi @christi48, It must have been unbearable for people before steroids. Prednisone was invented in the 1950s.
PMR and GCA are self limiting diseases. They eventually burn themselves out. With untreated GCA though, one runs the risk of going blind or having a stroke so those of us who have it are truly lucky to be living when prednisone can calm our overactive immune systems.
I had the pain of PMR for a year without being diagnosed and took turmeric, SAME, saffron, etc. I didn't even try Ibuprophen. An infrared heating pad eased the pain when I used it.
My mother in law had GCA and didn't want to take prednisone, but was advised of the consequences of not taking it. When I was finally diagnosed, I knew the drill.
I hope you get off the prednisone as soon as you reasonably can!

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