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Onset was a huge, inflammatory flare that came out of the blue. At first I thought I was just sore from overdoing it on several projects.
My hands were somewhat impacted - but mostly my shoulder joints and hip girdles. I could barely stand up or move my arms. The pain and stiffness eases a couple of hours after waking.
I had to beg my PCP for a second round of the 6 pack of methylprednisolone. It's a 6 days, tapering course of medicine, that works! He is cautious, rightfully so. A friend took me to my standing 6 month dermatology appointment last week and my doctor took one look at me, and gave me the prescription for Prednisone - 30mg every other day. I could see his intellect trying to solve my malady, asked lots of questions. He too thinks it's PMR. He also has his PHD in immunology, so I trust him. His compassion was overwhelming.
This forum is great, I don't want to bore my concerned family and friends, but I need to vent and to get some answers.
You sound like you have it far worse. We say "lo siento" in my part of the country = "I'm sorry".
Replies to "Onset was a huge, inflammatory flare that came out of the blue. At first I thought..."
You know having a dermatologist wirh training in immunology is a great, great stroke of luck!!
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I woke up one morning with a numb achy hand and thought I’d slept on it funny. I had just moved to NYC for a new job and had a new boss to impress! It faded away in an hour or so but the next morning both hands were numb and achy. Over a couple Of days it progressed to a point where my ankles felt fused and my hands were so painful and so weak I couldn’t open a door or even a bottle of water. And then the large joints became involved - hips, shoulders so bad that rolling over in bed was excruciating. I was given a 16 day course of prednisone: 20 mg x 4 days, then 15 x 4 days, then 10,
then 5 then off. Then the Rheumy my new boss secured via executive health put me on Humira. I had a rather miraculous response and have been largely well controlled. I had to change drug 3 times but my Remicade is great for four years now. I’m lucky I stumbled into a great Rheumy in NC. I did just have a flare I took another prednisone course for - I try not to go there but it’s the only answer sometimes.