Treating PMR with Prednisone and Hydroxychloroquine

Do you feel that H helped you maintain your weight?

I want to post my most recent experience with hydroxycholoquine (H) to reduce my prednisone (P) use. I have posted before on this subject, but here is more information and there is one question that I have that I would like any input on. A brief review. I have been on and off P for about 30 years due to PMR. When I was diagnosed 30 years ago, I had never heard of PMR, yet when I went to well respected and education rheumatologist I recited the symptoms of PMR as if I read it from a text book. basically pain for no reason in my shoulder girdle and hip girdle and fatigue. Based on my history the MD Rx P and withing 6 hours I was a new man. I was able to reduce P to zero, but about a year later I got PMR symptoms again. I know the symptoms very well and every time P immediately solved my problem. For reasons other than PMR I had to increase my P to 10mg and my rheumatologist wanted to reduce P and started H 200 mg 2X/d. Due to sleep problems I reduced H to 200 mg in the morning. and have reduced P from 10 to 7.5 to 5 and now 4 mg. I have reduced P from 10 to 0 mg maybe 15 times, but never so easily. Often in the past I would have to up my P since when I reduced it I started to have PMR pain again. Now my question: I am wondering since it is so easy to reduce P am I in remission? My rheumatologist told me that PMR usually lasts 2 years. Yes, I know I told you I have had it for 30 years. Do 78 yo go into remission? In the past 30 years I have see 5 rheumatologist and 2 of them question if I have PMR even though P has always been the magic bullet, that is immediate relief.

I want to post my most recent experience with hydroxycholoquine (H) to reduce my prednisone (P) use. I have posted before on this subject, but here is more information and there is one question that I have that I would like any input on. A brief review. I have been on and off P for about 30 years due to PMR. When I was diagnosed 30 years ago, I had never heard of PMR, yet when I went to well respected and education rheumatologist I recited the symptoms of PMR as if I read it from a text book. basically pain for no reason in my shoulder girdle and hip girdle and fatigue. Based on my history the MD Rx P and withing 6 hours I was a new man. I was able to reduce P to zero, but about a year later I got PMR symptoms again. I know the symptoms very well and every time P immediately solved my problem. For reasons other than PMR I had to increase my P to 10mg and my rheumatologist wanted to reduce P and started H 200 mg 2X/d. Due to sleep problems I reduced H to 200 mg in the morning. and have reduced P from 10 to 7.5 to 5 and now 4 mg. I have reduced P from 10 to 0 mg maybe 15 times, but never so easily. Often in the past I would have to up my P since when I reduced it I started to have PMR pain again. Now my question: I am wondering since it is so easy to reduce P am I in remission? My rheumatologist told me that PMR usually lasts 2 years. Yes, I know I told you I have had it for 30 years. Do 78 yo go into remission? In the past 30 years I have see 5 rheumatologist and 2 of them question if I have PMR even though P has always been the magic bullet, that is immediate relief.

I want to post my most recent experience with hydroxycholoquine (H) to reduce my prednisone (P) use. I have posted before on this subject, but here is more information and there is one question that I have that I would like any input on. A brief review. I have been on and off P for about 30 years due to PMR. When I was diagnosed 30 years ago, I had never heard of PMR, yet when I went to well respected and education rheumatologist I recited the symptoms of PMR as if I read it from a text book. basically pain for no reason in my shoulder girdle and hip girdle and fatigue. Based on my history the MD Rx P and withing 6 hours I was a new man. I was able to reduce P to zero, but about a year later I got PMR symptoms again. I know the symptoms very well and every time P immediately solved my problem. For reasons other than PMR I had to increase my P to 10mg and my rheumatologist wanted to reduce P and started H 200 mg 2X/d. Due to sleep problems I reduced H to 200 mg in the morning. and have reduced P from 10 to 7.5 to 5 and now 4 mg. I have reduced P from 10 to 0 mg maybe 15 times, but never so easily. Often in the past I would have to up my P since when I reduced it I started to have PMR pain again. Now my question: I am wondering since it is so easy to reduce P am I in remission? My rheumatologist told me that PMR usually lasts 2 years. Yes, I know I told you I have had it for 30 years. Do 78 yo go into remission? In the past 30 years I have see 5 rheumatologist and 2 of them question if I have PMR even though P has always been the magic bullet, that is immediate relief.