1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
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Possible PMR diagnosis - but legs only

Posted by amroo @amroo, Mar 2 5:29pm

I've had mild to severe aching and stiffness in my legs, particularly hip area and lower legs/ankles/feet, for 4 months. ESR and CRP were negative. I just saw a rheumatologist who thinks it's most likely PMR. He's re-ordering labs.

Some of the symptoms are classic, others not at all. It's 100% from the hips down, on both sides, none at all in the upper body, which is not typical PMR. I used to have pretty bad "growing pains" in my legs as a child, it feels just like that, an intense, deep muscular ache. Unfortunately I have a horrible reaction to oral steroids / prednisone, so that's not a possibility for me.

Any other thoughts of what might be causing this? Any suggestions on other treatment since I can't use steroids?

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pah17 | @pah17 | Mar 4 8:36pm
In reply to @tsesow "I was similar to you. My symptoms were all in my hips and thighs. I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for tsesow @tsesow

I was similar to you. My symptoms were all in my hips and thighs. I had troubles with standing up from sitting, waking at 1-2am with pain in my hips and buttocks. Probably stiff in my shoulders My CRP and ESR were negative, but I responded immediately to prednisone. That was about 5 months ago. Since then I have been on 15mg prednisone, and when I started tapering, then I got flares that were more consistent with others: still hips and thigh pain, but now at times I could not lift my arms above my head. When that happens, I immediately went back up 2mg prednisone and felt better in about 12 hours.

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@tsesow Listening to all the different stories, I feel very fortunate that my acute pain stage has been very limited so far. But I am at 40 mg. Prednisone a day because of GCA concern. I do wonder if I too will be prone to flares as I taper. My energy level has been better than ever, to the degree that I may very well be hurting myself on other levels because I don't know that I'm overdoing things (for instance in the garden with all the lifting, bending, twisting that ordinarily hurts me).
I'm not a fan of not being able to sleep, but somehow the in and out of sleep over 6-8 hrs. gets me through the night. I do notice more discomfort from my idiopathic neuropathy symptoms which does not of course respond to the Prednisone.
This is an interesting journey. Thank you all for hanging with me and trying to figure things out

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