My first post
sed - 46 CRP - 3.6 Alpha 2 - 1.3 A/G ratio - 1.1
taking pred 10 days at 10 mg then 7.5 mg about 2 weeks now. Also, fosomax due to osteoporos in a small part of my spine and osteopenia in hips and who knows where....I am determined to discontinue the pred as a treatment for pain. I don't even feel all that great on the stuff. Mornings are awful then feel better in the afternoon. In the evenings i pick up everything I dropped on the floor during the day.
Question - curious about the year before diagnosed with PMR. For me I had a parasite from living in Brazil. Then four months after treatment had hip pain, back pain, and groin pain throughout the year. Blood work at first only showed minor CRP out of range - i had a cold and thought that was that. Then the pain got to be excruciating and my shoulders were stiff and my knees really hurt. Then the blood tests came back. The ones above are the second set a month after the first - better.
Folks - how was your year before PMR....anything odd that you think might have set your body off? I was totally healthy before (except for the osteo penia) - walked 10 miles a day in brazil.....i am 53 and female......i am researching for supplements and diet. I get massage and do yoga and walk in the evenings. Thank gosh I am retired - dont know how people work like this.
Smartie, I too am retired. I don't think I could work. Or, at least I would have to take two hours to get ready. That's what it took me this morning...the warm bathtub just feels so good, I lay there for quite some time.
In Feb. of 2006 before I got this hurting, I had the worse flu I had ever had in my life. I got it on a Friday night and couldn't see the doctor until Monday, and all she did was give me suppositories and sent me home. I had a high fever and very nauseous. Finally on Wed., she gave me a shot and then told me to come back the next day for a shot. I was sick for the entire week. Very unusual for me.
Then in August, I stressed my knees....and I started to get stiffer and stiffer. I went to a chiropractor and a physical therapist. And finally I went to a rheumatologist who after many many tests and xrays diagnosed me with PMR. Prednisone was a miracle pill. I could tell in two hours my arms hurt less.
I can't take predinisone because of glaucoma. Right now my shoulders hurt. Feels like tendinitis. And it might be tendintitis, because I used my arms to lift myself to turn in bed,to get out of bed and off the toddie.
Your question, is a very good question. Something sets this off and there is not too much research going on to find out what.
I have been hypothyroid too for about 20 years and I'm thinking between the thyroid gland and the adrenal gland not working together, that could trigger the whole episode of pain.
Mary
smartie101,
Your comment about picking everything up at
night that you dropped during the day made my day!!!! That is how I felt about three months ago. I'm
47 and recently diagnosed. I didn't know what had hit me. Couldn't walk right,
could hardly get out of bed. Going to work was a feat in itself because I work
in a power plant and it can be very physical work at times. And I was so sick
of everyone asking what was wrong with me because all I could say was "I don�t
know". But when I started looking at
things that I dropped and really considering that the effort to bend over and
pick them up was too much, I knew I had to seek answers. So now after some treatment
and feeling better, it's easy to forget how difficult this can make your life. Your
entry took me there.
I too want off pred, but for now it's
working and I love the relief. I can't tell you that I remember anything
significant occurring before the PMR nightmare started. In fact I felt
blindsided by the whole thing. I do know that with the pred and increased
physical activity, I feel better physically and mentally. I hope our quest too
get off pred is short and successful.
pota
I was taking a non-steriodal - cataflam - before i got the diagnosis of PMR (always a working diagnosis). It was good....20 minutes after taking it i was good for at least a day maybe 2....at least i could count on it. the pred has not been my miracle. So i wonder if doc will think of something else...i am worried that by the time i see him again it will be too late to just stop the pred... does anybody know how long and how much you can take it before you have to taper? I may go by the pharmasist tomorrow. I have read (and i google most of the day)that it could take years to run its course if you are lucky...any med for that long is gonna be bad - worse than the pmr - i read it doesnt really hurt you - its all the meds. I will say for the pred that i can actually sleep on my side. What a luxury. Cant turn over too easy but better than just lying on my back all night in one position....i have been taking 5-HTP - maybe that has been helping with the sleep....starting the zyflamend tomorrow.....trying to get off sugar...that is so hard.