Classic PMR symptoms but...

@judy15
I had PMR in both my shoulders and both my hips. It was during Covid so I thought at first I was just stiff and out of shape because I wasn’t going to the gym. It got so bad that when I got out of bed in the morning and tried to walk it was like I was paralyzed and my hips were frozen until I could finally get going. When I got in and out of the car I had to lift my legs in and out with my arms because they couldn’t move on their own. I started on 20 mg prednisone and felt better in 6 hours. I then went to 10 mg and tapered down 1 mg a month to 0. I had no side effects from the prednisone except it gave me a whole lot of energy. That was 5 years ago and I have not had any relapses. I believe my PMR was triggered both by physical and emotional stress. I had just had knee replacement surgery and 4 weeks after that my mother began very ill and then my husband was also in the hospital so I was trying to go back and forth between Alabama and Pennsylvania. I have not had any stress like that since so I think that is why I am still OK. I do have some other autoimmune issues like mild Reynaud’s and hypothyroidism. I am 75 and otherwise in good health but continue to see my rheumatologist once a year.

@judy15 I have had pain and stiffness in shoulders, hips, thighs, knees, ankles, forearms, wrists.
But it does seem to "travel" without predictability! I'm newly diagnosed and am on a second 4 week course of Prednisone, tapering from 20mg to 5mg over that time. The first round helped the pain and most of the stiffness, but each tapering week had rough days. I've been taking hydroxychloroquine over the same time. After the first round of pred. and off it for 3 days, I was stiff and in pain again. Today is 4th day of 20mg again, and feel okay--no pain, just muscle fatigue and feeling blah. The muscle fatigue feels like lactic acid buildup in thighs and arms after a hard bicycle ride or climb up several flights of stairs. So strange. Get tired after doing one "big thing" a day. That "big thing" could be doing several loads of laundry or running errands. I'm wondering if anyone ever really feels "normal" again?

@judy15 my symptoms were more significant in my legs. Bilaterally in the hips down to my knees. I had some stiffness in my arms but nothing debilitating like my legs. Never any issues with my neck. It’s so different for everyone.

Shoulders, neck, hips, sometimes knees, but I agree that the exhaustion is always there and profound for me. It changes more for me than the pain.

I started with neck pain (for context, I have severe arthritis of my cervical spine), then pain progressed almost weekly one joint at a time until it included both shoulders, both hips, both thighs, groin and lower back. Sitting down, getting back up, walking and sleeping all resulted in extreme pain. After seeing my PCP, going through pain management, 5 weeks of useless PT, 1 neurologist and 2 neurosurgeons I finally had some blood work done and was referred to a rheumatologist. He started me on 15mg prednisone until new blood work and then increased to 25mg with a probable diagnosis of PMR. Neither dose of prednisone relieved the pain but 25mg made it more manageable and I was able to ditch the cane I had started using to get around. I've been referred to a hematologist oncologist because of unusual blood work results and he is looking for the cause of that. PMR is usually a diagnosis of exclusion as the last option after ruling out everything else, and reacts positively to prednisone. At this point, it looks like I have PMR and something else, or just something else that mimics PMR. Good luck to all.

@judy15
I started having troubles with my hips then shoulders. At the time seeing my Sports Medicine doctor we did PRP in both shoulders ( one at a time). The shoulders felt better afterwards but then I had an arthroscopic knees surgery and my recovery started out ok but then about at 10 weeks everything took a turn. Knees, hips, shoulders all crippling pain. Finally my PCP did more testing and PMR was the outcome. Sorry for such a long response but mine seemed to hit all major joints.

@judy15
I started at 15 over a year ago. I made it down to 3 and then 2 and tried to go to one. Disaster.
I am back at 2 and thinking I might have to go to 2.5 or 3 for a short time longer. My hands/wrists have become very stiff and sore.
I do ride my stationary bike daily and walk daily about a mile. But in the mornings I feel stiff in my legs. My shoulders are what got me on prednisone and I sincerely wish I had never started!!! It is hell coming off.

I also am not on any medication. I was diagnosed with PMR by my naturopath after a terrible pain in my arm,
neck and shoulder on one side, it was so painful, and couldn't move my arm, or get dressed. Lots of Ibuprofen.
A few years have passed and now, I am having more symptoms, especially in the morning. I had such
severe knee pain for a few days it has been very difficult to get out of bed. Additional stiffness and pain in my
neck and shoulders. Blood tests are normal, Lyme test negative. I have been referred ( over a year wait )to a .
Neurologist . A different naturopath thinks it is PMR and my MD does not. Pain and stiffness mostly in the AM.
It is scary. I live alone in the boonies and am 78 years old.