residual symptoms of PMR

[Izzie1020]

I was diagnosed with PMR in the fall of 2022. I was put on 15 mg of Prednisone and slowly tapered down through the year. It’s been about three months since I’ve been off it. My labs are normal for the inflammation markers. I still have minor aches and pains in my arms shoulders and hips. Just wondering if they are from the after effects of having PMR or just a part of growing older. I am 78.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

After only a year or so, would say (even though bloods are okay at present) it not sure much the after effect, but itself still grumbling PMR.

Unusual to get through PMR that quickly unless it was a version that Covid might have caused -that does seem slightly different to the most usual one discussed on here.

If you have some Pred - might be worth trying them for a week or so and see if it helps the aches.

Have you tried ordinary painkillers and do they help? If they do it’s unlikely to be PMR -and just normal life. If they don’t, it probably is…

Try one or both of the options -but not at same time!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

UNusual????

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Ooops.. amended…

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

[Izzie1020 in reply to DorsetLady]

Ibuprofen does help but I don’t take it all the time. When I first took Prednisone all my pains disappeared and I felt like I could fly up and down the stairs. I know that it masks all your aches and pains so this may be the regular ones of getting older reminding me of their existence.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Izzie1020]

Could well be, and as we said if it’s Covid related PMR, then you may have got off lightly… just make sure it doesn’t escalate…

[Merryfield]

Those sound like symptoms of active PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

That is very fast to be through PMR unless it was triggered by the Covid vaccine, that seems to be shorter. Otherwise it is said that 1 in 5 are able to get off pred in a year BUT remain at a higher risk of relapse. If those aches and pains start to grow, don't be denial and ignore them - catching them early means you are likely to get away with just a low dose of pred, but ignore them at your peril because you might end up back at the start again.

It isn't uncommon to feel achey until the adrenal set-up has recovered too but the clue is whether they remain much the same - probably old age - increase - probably PMR or improve - probably adrenal related.

[Izzie1020 in reply to PMRpro]

I’m convinced that I got my PMR due to the Covid booster as I came down with the symptoms seven days after getting the vaccine. Ibuprofen does help so maybe it’s a combination of things. Hasn’t gotten any worse so fingers crossed!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Izzie1020]

When ibuprofen helps it is rarely the PMR side of things. That is the sort of time scale for it to have been the jab - and it is not uncommon. Fingers crossed indeed!

[ab58sf]

I am no expert, but it sounds like the residual pain from PMR as it is confined to the shoulders, hips, etc. I was prescribed low dose (20mgs) of Cymbalta for the residual pain as I tried to reduce Prednisone. It worked on the pain, but it made me a little sad, so I am not still taking it unless I really need it for sciatica type pain in my hip. Might be good to ask your rheumatologist about it. Just a thought.

[PMR65]

You are one of the lucky ones be thankful

[Izzie1020 in reply to PMR65]

Fingers crossed!