You have flared before haven't you? Are you only under a GP? Have you been referred to a consultant rheumatologist?
Did you feel like this when you flared before?
Is it possible you have caught a bug of some sort?
Have you done anything unusual/extra in the last week or two?
Not only does PMR itself have a habit of flaring without warning but sometimes it can be the forerunner of LVV or GCA (large vessel vasculitis and giant cell arteritis). Judging by your profile, your doctors have messed you about rather and got you into a yoyo pattern of dosing which in itself can lead to all sorts or problems, making it increasingly difficult to control the inflammation and then taper the dose down.
Activity wise, i've not done much, kept myself steady ( can't do a lot anyway as the fatigue & cognative issues come in waves & without notice. That has been the main problem through out).
After previous flare ups the increase in Pred has sorted the inflammation. The fatigue & cognative issues did not get any worse, but neither did they get any better.
I've never been referred to a
rheumatologist since being diagnosed by the GP a year ago.
I'm so frustrated. 10mg was working. The only reason we lowered was to try & make the extreme fatigue & cognitive issues better so I could try & get back to work. 😩
Your GP is rather remiss - you should have been referred urgently to a specialist long ago, Simple, straightforward cases can be managed by a GP - providing the diagnosis is correct and that isn't a given by any means. His attempts at tapering your pred haven't been stellar.
You are relatively young and male which makes you atypical for a start. Although you apparently responded well to the starting dose you have had difficulty reducing the dose and I noticed that in a reply to one of your earlier posts DL commented your symptoms were potentially GCA-ish. Sweats do happen in PMR - but are far more typical of LVV or GCA, as are rashes. You are also putting yourself under pressure to get back to work - and you patently aren't fit to do so.
My concern is that you have something more than "just" PMR and the GP isn't acknowledging the fact. You need specialist management and sooner rather than later.
I know you have been blood tested for other health issues and nothing found, but would say with the problems you have had since diagnosis, you possibly have something else going on besides PMR.
As PMRpro asked have you been referred to a Rheumy? I think you need somebody other than GP looking at your issues with new eyes.
Hopefully, you can get an appointment this week. The Ambassadors on the site have given you some solid advice and hopefully you can utilize that info to insisit on seeing a rheumatologist. Sending my support...💞
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Reducing Pred
Definitely a flare. Stiffness now making itself known. Increase dose to where and for how long?
Reduction plan after 'a flare'
Flare with normal blood inflammation levels ?
