Another story for fellow sufferers | Arthritis Information

So, I am 54 and married...
I have had PMR for over a year...and am down to 3mg of pred
In the year since getting pmr, my aged mother i was taking care of- has died, and
my hubby's business has been deeply effected by the economic crisis
so he is only getting a small portion of his paycheck.....so now
my paycheck is helping us just get thru the day to day...
AND
now we have to sell our home and settle my parents estate and then we will move into their old home ...in need of much work.....
so NOW..i have to clean out our home, AND my parents home and make everything work and look good on no budget.

needless to say this has been quite a difficult time...and i have been working hard WITH pmr and i have more flareups than usual.
so after a long day packing, moving, cleaning, and so on...
the other day, i collapsed in bed..and my beloved hubby says:
"you know cathi, you are sure acting OLD these days.............."

knew you all were the only ones I could tell who would have a chuckle at those who HAVE NO IDEA what we are going thru...

oh and YES...I threw a pillow at him!You only threw it at him!!! You should have had a pillow fight with him!!!! BUT I know you did not have the energy for that!! At 64 I would have strangled him with it!!!

Down to 3mg and having flares....... of course you are with all that extra stress and the extra physical demands you are having.

I'm into my 4th year and cannot get under 4mg and maybe going up again...

Cathi can you go up to give you some respite?

Hang in there girlfriend, life may not be the same, mabe some parts can be better!!

Hugs Lyn

How do you do it Cathi??? I would have wanted to tar and feather my husband. I have PMR and RA. I have gone through some of what you are talking about. I took care of my mother-in-law and my husbands aunt for about 5 years before they died 3 months apart. Then we had to settle their estates and clean out their houses. Well, the estates got done but not their houses. Within 9 months of the last death, my mother had a major stroke and I was extremely busy with all of that. ITs been a long haul and continues to be. I do have my mother in a nursing home / assisted living but I still have to take her to doctor/dentist/etc. appointments. I'm 45 and have two teenagers. Honestly, I jsut wish I could be allowed to be sick and think about myself for a change. I find it frustrating that I have to pretend nothing is wrong and that I am not exhausted. Unless you are afflicted with some autoimmune disease or something no one seems to understand. ITs almost better not to say anything to anyone. Anyway, I like coming to these boards for support. I wish you the best in resolving everything. Just pace yourself so you don't run out of juice!!! Good luck.

Kim

Hi, ladies!

Really sorry to hear of all the other stuff you have to cope with alongside PMR/GCA. More power to you! I used to be married and I shudder to think of what life would be like for me with PMR/GCA and my ex! Hi

I am 62 and had very bad neck and shoulder pain. I went to a Physio got some relief but in the meantime had very aching legs. Also have a dry cough. I am retiring tomorrow from Special Needs Teaching. My physio said to get tested for polymyalgia. What is the difference to fibromyalgia? Also there is some other condition arteries that goes with the polymyalgia. My Doctor just said take magnesium. How is polymyalgia diagnosed? I am getting depressed and worried. Now I have pain in the side.

Thanks

Dianne.

Hi Dianne

Having had both poly and fibro you would think I could tell you the difference. They both hurt like h*** but poly seemed like a really bad flu all the time. Hard to move. Fibro is a big ache from head to toe with flares in between. I think the other arteries that you are speaking of is GCA. This affects the eyes. With poly they check your ECR and if it is high they try you on prednisone. If that takes away the pain then they are pretty sure you have polymyalgia. Prednisone does not take away the pain of fibromyalgia. The Dr. has several points they check on the body that if pressed on and they are painful gives them a pretty good idea that it is fibro. You can find these points if you google fibromyalgia. I think your best bet is to have your GP refer you to a rheumatologist as he does not seem to have a handle on it.

Wishing you much luck and if you need support or information at any time just check in here.

Pat

Thanks so much for the information. All I am worried about is the arteries but no symtoms like double vision. I am retiring today from Special Needs Teacher and this last term as been horrible. I have been working with 6/7 students and expected to be a class teacher as well. The Special Needs students are mainly well behavied but the class was terrible and Teacher took every opportunity to have as much free time as she could. Maybe this will settle down.

Thanks again

Dianne

Aussielady

visit www.pmr-gca-northeast.org.uk

Look under resources - for latest information published in UK, by the British Society of Rheumatologists.

Good Luck and keep on keeping on through the good days and bad days.
Hello, Aussie Lady!

Mrs UK's site (above) will give you the lowdown you need, but I thought I'd give a special mention to Giant Cell Arteritis (sometimes spelled Arteriitis); the main symptom of this is a blinding headache, which is apparently a warning that the arteries in your head are inflamed; I have read that this can cause blindness or stroke if not treated promptly, but as soon as you are on a high dose of prednisone you will be ok - at least as far as eye problems are concerned. Pred makes you put on weight, but that's another story . . .

Having said this, I had the headaches on and off for over a year before saying anything, thinking that I was at the doctor's so often for the rheumatic pains, plus appendicitis, broken arm, laryngitis, etc., that I shouldn't moan about just a headache! I shudder to think of how close I may have come to losing my eyesight! Yikes!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com