"Newbie" caring for Mom with PMR | Arthritis Information

 

I've been lurking for awhile reading most of the posts and trying to find info that could help me taking care of my mom.  She is 77 and has been diagnosed with PMR for over two years.  We both think that she had it at least 4 months before that but she didn't go to see her doc until the pain was unbearable and she could hardly get out of bed.
I don't know if it's because she is a nurse or not but she is so hard on herself.  She has been awfully frustrated due to her limitations with PMR and sometimes it's hard to help her.
There are two things I'd like to specifically ask all of you - have some of you found it very difficult or impossible to get into and out of a bathtub?  My mom dislikes showers and wants so much to have a long soak in the tub again but she hasn't the strength to get out of the tub by herself.  And no, she does not want me to help her out of the tub when she is naked! Hi Cyndy.  I am sorry that you and your mom are going through this still.  I don't have much to offer you other than empathy and support knowing that you aren't alone.  I had a hard time trying to take baths in the beginning of my PMR.  I get alot of fluid in my joint and find it hard to bend / squat to get in and out of the tub. 

Can you get her a bathing suit to wear while she is in the tub? Or even just her undies. I am now 90% better after a year. I have not had a bath since I got this. I guess I could try but I have not tried to get in the tub since. I do go to a facility that has hot tubs, steam, and a warm therapy pool. I never had trouble with my hands or feet. When i did take the pred (only for three monts) I had to pee all nite and had terrible sweats - had to change pajamas sometimes in the middle of the night. After i got off the pred all that stopped. You could try one of those hot wax things for her hands and feet. I used to use the rice filled bags that you heat in the microwave. Those were heaven. My friend bought her mother a 'bath lift'.  It was simple to install and operate.  One button for down and one button for up.   The type depended on body weight.    However there are different types on the market.  It might be worth considering. Thanks for answering me pksmdrag, smartie101 and mrs uk. My mom has seen lots of naked bodies as a nurse, but she doesn't want to be the naked body someone else is helping.....yet. If she is in the tub for a soak only and not actually to BATHE then maybe swimsuit would work. I will suggest that and see if she will go for it. We have looked at (online) some of those bath lifts and the thing holding us up is the return policy (or total lack of one in some cases).
She's down to 2 mg. of pred right now and hoping to be at 1 mg. in a week or two. Her hands have been affected, mostly the right, but that is also playing into upper body weakness and difficulty grasping and holding onto things. Do many of you have carpal tunnel problems connected to your PMR?

Thanks again for responding to me. It helps! I am looking to get a laptop for my mom (lighter weight and easier to take from room to room or her bed) so that she can take advantage of forums like this.CyndyW,  There's a possible solution for your Mom with one of the "walk-in" tubs.  I don't know what the cost is, but it might be worth considering if it would be useful for several years. My hands started to hurt after 2 years of PMR. I took plaquenil and the pain was gone within 2 weeks (plus I went off the medication and the pain in hands NEVER came back)
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