PMR Tips

[bgartland]

Hi all, just been diagnosed with PMR and been taking 15mg of steroids for less than a week.

The steroids have not made much difference.

Has anyone got any advise please?

Regards

Brian

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi and welcome,

You may be need to give it a bit longer… for some they work in hours [as your doctor may have said] but not for everybody… and although 15mg is a very common starting dose it isn’t always enough.

Plus you need to remember you have systemic illness, which is only partly controlled by the steroids… and you probably need to adjust your lifestyle [certainly early days] to allow for that. Maybe not so easy for an ex- infantryman 😏

Maybe have a look this intro post -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[bgartland in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks Dorset Lady, very helpful link.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to bgartland]

Keep to hand... will be useful in future ... just like the old Field Manuals..🙂 [ ex MOD Civilian and widow of RA man for my sins!]

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

That's what we need - a Field Manual ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Even more unwieldy than the FAQs 😲

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Surely we could improve on a Field Manual!!!!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I think about on my upcoming flights (or maybe not!) 😊

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Sure you could find summat better to do ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Sure I can….😊

[Stills in reply to DorsetLady]

🤣

[bgartland in reply to DorsetLady]

Will do, thank you

[123-go]

Welcome to the forum. It may well be that you weren’t started on a high enough dose of prednisolone. The range for prednisolone is 12.5mg to 25mg and sometimes guided by the patient’s weight/height. What were your symptoms that led to the PMR diagnosis?

You will get responses from our ‘experts’ who have a wealth of knowledge and experience so come back here as often as you need.

[bgartland in reply to 123-go]

I thought it was tendentious with lifting weights at first. Thanks 123

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to bgartland]

Ditch the lifting weights for now... PMR affected muscle no like! 😒

[bgartland in reply to DorsetLady]

Roger

[piglette]

As DorsetLady says you may be at too low a dose. Men often seem to need a slightly higher dose, eg 20mg, than women as they tend to be bigger. Also with PMR the mantra is rest, rest, rest. You have a life changing illness, so look after yourself.

[bgartland in reply to piglette]

Thanks Piglette

[LadyJayne68 in reply to bgartland]

Piglette is so right. I am very bad at taking this advice even though I know it is right. I confuse what I know I need to do with what I think I 'should' be doing. I am hard on myself, please don't make this same mistake.All the best with this.

[sidra1968]

15 mg probably is not enough, I had to go to 30 mg to really feel normal again. Dr had me stay there 6 weeks to truly clear out the inflammation. Good luck!

[Charlie1boy in reply to sidra1968]

Ditto, but was ok after three weeks.

[sidra1968 in reply to Charlie1boy]

Yep, I was better quickly too once on 30 mg. I told my doc how much better I was and asked to start tapering, but he insisted I stay there another few weeks. I was thrilled, because he was finally convinced of my PMR when my Sed Rate actually went UP while on 30 mg.

[Charlie1boy in reply to sidra1968]

👍

[bgartland]

Thanks Sidra

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Hi and welcome.

Not much to add to what's been said already: I don't think you are on enough pred, ask to try 20mg at least. Avoid anything that aggravates those tendons - and that can take several weeks to calm down on oral pred.

If in doubt, something you don't understand - come and ask. Usually someone around, certainly dawn to dusk in the UK!

[bgartland]

No problem and thank you

[LadyJayne68]

Hello Brian, I was diagnosed in August and given 15mg Prednisolone. My aching and pains went away completely by the following day but they were just playing tricks. By the end of the week they were back and brought their friends with them. For the last three months I have been up and down with confusing advice from different GPs. The advice on this forum is invaluable because it is given by people who really know about this condition. I am still learning so don't feel qualified to advise except to say all the best finding your way through these difficult early days.

[bgartland in reply to LadyJayne68]

Thanks LadyJayne.