I am 76, female in excellent health. I thought I was doing all the “right things” to keep my mind and body healthy. Exercise, eating well, social connections, humor, travel, keeping an open mind then WHAMMO, PMR came into my life slowly in Feb 2023. I was officially diagnosed in May. Surprise is a modest word. I have a mouth like a sailor and can think of many other ways to describe this condition. At any rate, I live in the Washington, DC area and was able to quickly find a rheumatologist I can trust. So I am now on the prednisone treadmill taper with the hope that PMR will go into remission. Something I have noticed in my readings and in my own quest for a diagnosis is that many of us first go to an orthopedic surgeon for the PMR pain thinking it can be dealt with by surgery. I went to two surgeons who said no to hip replacement and diagnosed osteo arthritis. They sent me on my way with a script for PT. My PT (smart and insightful) is the person who finally told me to go to a rheumatologist for blood workup. My point is that if the ortho guys had taken some time to really listen to my symptoms they may/could have thought that this pain had other origins. I want to go to a orthopedic convention and give these doctors more information so they can think outside their own little boxes.

Though not an immunologist, my biggest surprise was how totally debilitating it was. At one point my arms were so painful, I told my husband if someone asked me if I wanted to cut them off, I’d have to consider it. Another time I thought “Oh my lord, just shoot me.” Was dx’d in April and doing quite well now. Happy to have my arms!!