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Adjusting to life with temporal arteritis
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jan 13 9:52am | Replies (217)Comment receiving replies
My doctor told me that if we did not take care of the PMR, it could lead to GCA. I don't think this happens every time, but rather I believe he was trying to emphasize the importance of taking the prednisone and getting rid of the PMR. I am so sorry you are having a second bout of PMR. Do you mind sharing how you knew you had PMR again? All my best wishes to you in licking it this time! @joybringer1
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Ever since having PMR the first time I have thought it came back to visit me now and then. Typically it would be one wrist or the other. This time I could feel something in my hamstrings down the back of my legs for several weeks, they were stiff. But I didn't think PMR was coming back for sure then. Then my fingers started being stiff and weak. I think I had a wrist get really sore for a few days. This was all over several weeks. Nothing to get too excited about until it got into my shoulders and backside of my knees. I started taking Advil which worked getting rid of any symptoms. At first I would take two tablets every other day. Then I started needing Advil every day and I went to my GP and he got me reinstated with my rheumatologis. My GP was going to have me try 10 mg of prednisone but I said I would keep using Advil until I went to the rheumatologist. I had to wait a month to get reinstated with the rheumy. We went on vacation the end of July flying across country to see family. Yeah we were adventurous during the pandemic. I was completely mobile with the Advil but soon needed it twice a day and the pain in my shoulders and knees wouldn't go completely away. If I didn't use Advil I couldn't raise my hands over my head or put on a shirt by myself. Getting up out of a chair was difficult. My hands were also really weak. The backs of my knees would get stiff. Being on the Advil I couldn't really tell how bad off I was. I did stop it now and then to see if I still had symptoms. I had to stop it a few days before I went to the doctor so they could see how bad off I was. I have heard I am lucky that Advil works for me because it doesn't for most people. Prednisone worked immediately again. It lasted about 20 hours the first day I took it before the pain started coming back. Then day two it lasted about 22 hours and since then no pains. Sometimes now and then I think I might have a headache but it doesn't last and it's not that bad. I never usually have headaches though. I'm at 10 mg now and should be going down to 9 the end of next week. I started at 20 then 15 to 10.