A friend has just directed me to a Dr in Bristol at the homeopathic hospital who specialises in PMR. I have always been a little sceptical about homeothapy and wondered if any one has had any experience with it for PMR.
I'm 55, diagnosed in May 2015. On 9mg pred.
Thanks.
In my experience it doesn't work - but that's no reason for you not to try it. You will never know if you don't try, but these things do come expensive apart from anything else.
What I would say is that if you are given anything to take please please check with you pharmacist first before you use it. They have a huge knowledge of drugs/remedies and their contra-indications and I know that some of the homeopathy remedies are contra-indicated with Pred.
Thank you, yes I will investigate further.
I have come across people who have tried it and also two homeopaths who had PMR. Both admitted to taking steroids and using homeopathic methods to reduce any side effects.
The homeopathic practitioners I have come across in the past have said they can't do much for PMR - they may be able to help with some of it and the side-effects of pred but not necessarily. I have used arnica for bruising, both as cream which is generally available and a traditional remedy, and also using the globules. That worked/works wonderfully for me - and on one occasion after surgery impressed nurses and physios on the orthopaedic ward greatly! However, PMR isn't bruising!
One lady who is a homeopathic practitioner had GCA symptoms but since she was young there was a lot of dispute over her diagnosis.She was very unhappy about taking pred, aren't we all, but high dose pred certainly helped her symptoms and nothing else did so she was willing to continue with it. However, the rheumatologist insisted it wasn't GCA and refused to continue to prescribe it. She then used homeopathy as (even for her) a last resort - but she told me it was at a very high potency which would not normally be used for patients. Apparently it reduced the symptoms. I couldn't comment and have lost contact with her.
It is something that really must be checked carefully - as polkadotcom says, I think there are some homeopathic remedies that shouldn't be used alongside pred so that must be emphasised to the practitioner. There are practitioners who will refuse to use homeopathic remedies alongside mainstream medicine and drugs - which is probably fine in PMR, after all, I managed PMR for 5 years without any pred. Whether that has done any damage or not I don't know - it wasn't from choice believe me! However - if there was any sign of GCA I think it would be totally irresponsible to rely on homeopathy without pred - the risk of loss of vision is always there and only pred is, as yet, known to reduce that risk reliably and then only when used early enough and at high enough a dose. Maybe if there is a remedy that is OK to use with pred it may help reduce the dose needed - but you can only know by trying.
It may be worth trying if you can afford it. There is certainly no mainstream science confirmation that homeopathy works any better than placebo - but then, there are drugs being prescribed and used that are said not to work better than placebo, paracetamol being a prime example, despite their having quite serious potential side-effects. And it has to be said - if a sugar pill placebo achieves a beneficial result, how can it be wrong to use it?
Thank you. Apparently if I can get my GP to refer me (!) I can see her on the NHS. I certainly realise I cant do without the pred. 
Thanks again.
I believe the NHS are currently reconsidering supporting homeopathy. I don't know if any decision has been made yet. In Germany they had quite a large project that seemed to indicate that the placebo effect was apparent in homeopathy. I know there is no way I could have managed without pred apart from taking to a wheelchair. There is an interesting book on alternative medicine co written by a homeopathic doctor called Trick or Treatment.
This isn't about homeopathy but related. A friend of mine died a few years ago of cancer. His initial diagnosis was rather devastating. One of those ones that surgery will not help. So what he chose to do was follow all the latest Western treatments, but he also went to a Chinese medicine practitioner as well as learning qi gong. From an initial prognosis of being dead within two to six months he lived for two more years, most of that time with a good quality of life, able even to climb a ladder and paint his house. He said what the "alternative" treatments gave him was his quality of life. They eased the side effects of the very harsh Western treatments so well worth it from his point of view.
If homeopathy eases the symptoms of pred withdrawal, for example, it would be well worth considering.
When I was first diagnosed with PMR and my GP presented the options I was reluctant to begin steroid treatment so contacted the homeopathist who had done much to alleviate a friend's arthritis pain. She advised me to take the steroids as there was no alternative but said that she could help with the side effects.
Incidentally homeopathy didn't work for my dog's skin problems - perhaps he was just too much of a sceptic!
Thanks, yes I'm not planning on replacing the steroids!
pred is the only pain relief that works. so don't waste time trying other meds. I am now just going into my 5 year of pmr. had 2 flares. but now down to 4 mg again. taking eileens advise and reducing very slowly. the other thing which helped was bowens treatment. it really did the trick, no pain now, apart for a liitle in the front of my right shoulder. which I can live with. even what I thought was arthritis in both knees that has also gone. I would really give it a go. for what it costs. I had 4 treatments ocer a period of 6 weeks. at £35 each well worth the money
I have used Arnica creme and Arnica tablets for muscle soreness for 25 years as well as other remedies for other issues. They work for me, my son and many of my friends. Here in the US there is a lot of skepticism about homeopathy, what people don't realize is that up until chemical medicines were developed in the late 19th century, homeopathy and herbal medicines are all that was available. Stay with the pred as it is the only treatment for pmr but there's no harm in trying other things to compliment the treatment.
Herbal medicine is certainly very ancient, even animals seek out healing herbs, as is aromatherapy (the Egyptians used it), but homeopathy was invented around 1800 by a German doctor. I have a problem with the remedies that are sold in little bottles in the stores. If great care is taken to manage the water so that it retains the imprint of the original substance introduced into it, then what does the process of packaging, shipping, storing, passage of time, do to this imprint? How can this possibly help anyone? Using creams and so forth that actually contain some of the healing substance is another matter, but now we are returning to herbal medicine.
I hadnt thought about using arnica, will give that a go. Thanks.
I'm thinking the same, but anyone with sensitive skin or a tendency towards skin allergies should probably proceed with caution:
healthline.com/health/pain-...
A friend of mine raised her children using homeopathic remedies whenever possible. I know she swore by arnica's healing properties.
Years ago, I tried using homeopathic remedies. At the time, I never thought I had much success so I eventually gave up. I do use some common supplements. About four months ago, on Amazon, I found a product called My Green Origins. It's a pain cream with arnica, msm, glucosamine, B6, etc. It is the only pain cream to help me. Not just with the PMR but with any pain issue. Has even helped my husband with sore muscles. Works on my lower back, hips, fanny, shoulders, upper arms. I wouldn't be without it. I'm sounding like an ad 
I googled it....sounds like the distribution may be small. Actually, only on Amazon. There is a you Tube video describing it as one of the best OTC meds of 2015. Worth a try if it's available.
My GP practices homeopathy as well as conventional medicine and she has prescribed me Mistletoe (Viscom) injections to boost my immune system, which I have found very good. These injections are also given to cancer patients who are on chemo. She agreed that there is no other remedy but prednisone to treat PMR/GCA.
Thank you.
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