new to this

[Glads]

Hi

Struggling with this very painful condition.

Plus being self employed is not the best place to be in and to get help from the system.

Had problems with hands wrists joints etc over the past few years thinking it was getting older and had some treatment for this!

But a Traumatic event that happened to me in September 2024 has triggered PMR and that’s hit me hard! So fast so painful.

struggling as I was of being so fit and healthy going to the gym 4 days a week,walking motorcycling and as a very outgoing person.

struggling just to get dressed in the mornings and do normal things but its not the end of the world just gotta suck it up plus find the most positive way forward.

Being self employed and i can’t use the tools to do my craft! but i`ll be back!

Just need to stay positive and hopeful get help and support from wherever I can find it!

have took time needed away from work now to rest up and take control of this PMR. after lots of appointments doctors/hospitals etc over some time.

i decided to change my doctor and my new doctor spotted the problem on first visit! had urgent blood test and she started me on 15 mgs of prednisone made me an urgent appointment to see the Rheumatologist a week later.

after appointment now on 30mgs prednisone and a plan for two weeks then cutting back down over a period of time at two week intervals.

also started me on Methotrexate.

so hopefully things are now moving in the right direction.

but one of my best decisions i've made so far is to became a member of the PMRRGCAuk.

[piglette]

30mg is quite a high dose for pred. How well did it work? Did you have a miraculous improvement?

[Glads in reply to piglette]

well when doctor put me on 15mgs everything was all good felt on top of the world 5 days later all pain and none movement came back.

been on 30 mgs now for 3 days and some small improvement!

[piglette in reply to Glads]

Have you been trying to carry on as you did before PMR? The thing you need to do with PMR is rest, rest, rest. That is the mantra. You are ill. All the pred will do is relieve the pain, it does not make you better. PMR has to be respected or it will turn round and bite you!!

[Glads in reply to piglette]

yes i was flat out working but now taking 3 weeks off from doing anything but resting

[piglette in reply to Glads]

Look after yourself!

[Glads in reply to piglette]

ditto

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Hi and welcome - I'm assuming you are in the US?

Yes, being self employed makes life with PMR rather difficult I'm afraid.

Bear in mind that the pred has CURED nothing. It is a management strategy while the underlying autoimmune disorder eventually burns out but that can be more than the 2 years too many doctors think it lasts. And MTX is a mixed blessing - you have to try it to find out if it works for you but it does so really well for a relatively small number of patients. For others it doesn't make much difference and has its own adverse effects.

[Glads]

hi

no UK based

new to it all!

but i'am sure to get to grips with it all in the coming months ahead as its not a quick fix by all accounts.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Glads]

It certainly isn't - you've learned that quicker than many manage!!

I assumed not in the UK because of seeing a rheumy in a week which is next to unheard of these days!!! That is a very fast taper - we feel every 2 weeks is a bit fast as it can take 3 weeks to know the new dose is still enough. But hopefully it will work.

[Glads]

will let you know! and it seems that way by reading up on it through others on the forum

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Glads]

A tip for replies - if you want to reply to a specific comment, make sure you click on the blue box Reply immediately under the comment. Then the person you reply to will get a notification about it. If you just use the very bottom reply box only the author of the thread and the few others who actively follow every thread (like DL and me) are notified by email and very few return to a thread later.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi and welcome,

You have the general gist of what to do from others, but maybe have a read of this intro posts- bit lengthy but do keep it to hand [sorry no pun intended] and use as a reference… it will make more sense as you go along… and being self employed does make life more difficult for you -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Always someone around so just ask away…