Greetings, I am new to this blog but want to thank you for the insightful postings that i have read. My Rheumatologist has not actually said I have PMR although classic symptoms (65, shoulder pain came on suddenly, then migrating pain to hips, thighs and knees). Rheumatologist was hesitant to diagnose because ESR, CRP normal and no autoimmune markers. I convinced her to let me try a course of prednisone because i knew PMR was so responsive and one way to find out quickly. Within 36 hours of 10 mg, no shoulder pain and minimal hip pain, 4 days out.
Question - if you are feeling much better, how long do you think you really need to be on a steroid? In these days of covid, I would prefer not to be on it any longer than i need to be.
Other question - has anybody had success with an anti inflammatory diet or other natural supplementation?
thank you
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SandyBoots
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I am so glad the pred did its magic. PMR normally takes at least two years to go into remission. For some people slightly less and for others it can be a lot longer.
Just a heads up. I was on Prednisone when I contracted Covid (at age 78) and had a very mild case. No breathing issues, mild cough one night, headache one day and low grade temp for 10 days. BUT on day 12 got AFib and doc sent me to ER. They gave me an additional dose of steroids as a normal way to treat Covid and was out of hospital after 2 days. My doc said I most likely had a mild case because of the steroids I had been on. I also take turmeric and ginseng but symptoms are at the beck and call of the dosage of my Prednisone. No AFib since.
That 10mg has CURED nothing - it is just enough to manage the inflammation which is created every morning by the underlying autoimmune disorder that causes it. You will need some pred as long as that is active - and that is a "how long is a piece of string" question. One in five patients gets off pred by1 year, that has risen to 1 in 3 by 2 years. But at just under 6 years half are still on pred and at 10 years 40% still required a low dose - maybe for adrenal function problems but nevertheless on pred. PMR isn't a disorder where you can take a dose of pred like antibiotics and be cured - it is a chronic problem without a cure.
An antiinflammatory diet may help you live better. I'm not convinced any supplements make much difference - not more than a good diet at least. Except vit D, you need that. They won;t replace pred, just you might need a bit less and feel a bit better. A low carb diet is beneficial in reducing the risk of weight gain and steroid-induced diabetes.
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