I think my PMR started with a hamstring tear in Dec. What? I have long hamstrings and that leg is strong! I took 5 weeks off exercise and when I restarted my hips started hurting, never any hip problems in my life. Then BOTH shoulders, so I knew what it was when I couldn't get out of bed. My R shoulder has been hot on and off months before the hamstring, but I think it's just crunchy with arthritis. On prednisone, 20, my shoulder is perfectly useful. So I think my PMR crept up on me over a year.
I have a new primary care doc, and my husband is a semi retired internist. I've been on 20 since Mar 15, and PCP wants me to taper to 15 this week.
It's not going to happen that fast, breaking a 5mg into quarters, down to 17 1/2, up at 1:30am today in pain. So I backtracked, added 1 1/4 back in and took the 6am 2 1/2 early. I had also added Plaquenil 400, and tried to reduce that suddenly too, but I'll go to every other day for a while. Moving split doses around to sleep better, but that didn't work as I woke up in pain at 1:30am today.
We are on our own with tapering. And everything else.
I'm doing sunlight with my clothes on to get Near Infrared, exercising, pickleball, cutting most carbs, eating simple raw and fresh foods. I cook. Nesting in a recliner, with everything I need right there.
Seeing my opthalmologist as I already had an unusual bleed on my retina last summer, worried about Gca and Plaquenil. Seeing an ortho for a wrist injury and hopefully xray my shoulder.
So self care is dominating my life. I'm 71.