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Polymyalgia and work

Posted , 8 users are following.

jae61606
jae61606

I posted one question and promise not to throw more than this extra one out there.This board has been very helpful

For those who are still working, did Polymyalgia cause early retirement? My husband has Polymyalgia and loves his job. He would like to keep working and, in all honesty, we need to keep saving for our later years. As it is, we are not youngsters. 

He would like to work 6 more years, My work opportunities are limited because we have a special needs child and I can not plan for medical emergencies for that child. 

How did this condition restrict work, if at all? 

 

0 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • Susanne_M_UK
    Susanne_M_UK jae61606

    Posted

    I had PMR for 4 years and worked full time in a busy, quite stressful job during all that time with no real problems. I even worked while undiagnosed and suffering the pain. Once diagnosed and pred kicked in, I was OK. I had a wonderful rheumy at the time who managed my tapering really well.

    I may have been one of the lucky ones in that regard. I then went on to get GCA, just as the PMR seemed to have burned itself out. Whether that would have happened if I hadn't been working, no one knows. That did mean I had to stop working.

  • EileenH
    EileenH jae61606

    Posted

    Depends on what he does. It is likely to be a bit difficult if he is a landscape gardener for example - pred only manages the symptoms and your muscles remain intolerant of acute exercise so heavy work is likely to be a bit problematic. That said, one guy did manage to carry on but reduced hours and needed a lot of help. The fatigue is a big limiter - and the pred doesn't always help that, it is part of the autoimmune part of the illness: PMR is the name given to the symptoms of this underlying malfunction of the immune system that causes it to be unable to recognise your body as "self" so it attacks tissues as if they were were an invading viral or bacterial infection.That isn't touched by the pred.

    I worked as a translator for 5 years with PMR and no pred - not from choice, it wasn't diagnosed. But I was freelance and worked from home. All I had to do was fall from bed into the computer chair! Didn't have to get dressed and be anywhere for a specific time and for a long time I wouldn't have managed a commute - I couldn't walk far because of hip bursitis which can be part of PMR.

    And a lot depends on the employer and their expectations. Plus stress does NOT mix well with PMR.

    • Elijo
      Elijo EileenH

      Posted

      You are amazing!  

      I find it very interesting when you said you had hip bursitis.  I developed trocanter bursitis in right hip several months before the PMR dx.  I received depra medrol 100mg and 80mg. injections about 2 months apart with geat relief.  Then I went kayaking for 3 hours crammed into a safety vest, had to be pulled out of kayak, suffered much pain in hip area, then a couple months later PMR hit with a dire vengeance and I was dx with PMR, then great relief from the pred. I'm wondering if the hip bursitis was a prelude to the PMR?  PLUS oodles amounts of severe stress.  It all seems to fit into the "puzzle.!

    • karenjaninaz
      karenjaninaz Elijo

      Posted

      Elijo, my experience was similar to yours: trochanteric bursitis first R than L. Decent relief from pain docs steroid shots; then one shoulder; then the other; then thighs .

      It is one year ago today I was diagnosed but the bursitiscwas many months before.PT made it worse.

    • Elijo
      Elijo karenjaninaz

      Posted

      Hi Karen,  PT didn't help me eiither, it was the PA's suggestion.  I finally decided I needed a steroid injection, made an appt. then got great relief.  Later on down the road I found that I couldn't turn the bedside lamp on,my sholder and arms were so stiff and painful, then soon the full stiffness and pain, a year ago in October.   started at 40mg,, am now down to 6.5mg. still bruising, but not quite as bad.  Congratulations on bearing your first year of this journeyi  May you continue to improve!

    • FlipDover_Aust
      FlipDover_Aust Elijo

      Posted

      I have trochanteric bursitis in both hips - had it for several years before PMR developed. I've only just had my first cortisone shots and OMG! it's a miracle! I'm pain free and can walk properly!!!

      I'm on the waiting list to see a specialist hip physiotherapist - my appointment is in March!! In the meantime I'm walking more and I've bought an electric bike to help me get moving again. It arrived on the weekend!

    • EileenH
      EileenH FlipDover_Aust

      Posted

      Hip bursitis can be a part of PMR - nice to be pain-free isn't it? Originally my starting dose of pred eventually eradicated the hip pain I'd had for the 5 years of other PMR symptoms, dismissed as OA by even a rheumy (no x-ray mind!),  but it took a few months. When it returned I was given steroid injections as pain-killers weren't an option said the hospital. But the steroid shot - miracle in a week! I'm far from convinced about the success of physio in PMR-associated bursitis but never say never!

    • FlipDover_Aust
      FlipDover_Aust EileenH

      Posted

      I walked out of the surgery pain free (because of the anesthetic) and woke up the next morning pain free! It worked immediately. I couldn't believe it. After years of pain!

      I've just bought an electric bike - that's sure to help, right??? eek

    • EileenH
      EileenH FlipDover_Aust

      Posted

      Don't fall off it and it might! That was my mistake - but our electric bike was probably faulty and I'm sure never worked properly. I was ill shortly after we got it and unable to ride it anyway - and OH (who is the king of procrastinators when it comes to sorting something like that out) wouldn't take it back and argue the point. I wasn't well enough to.

      Would like to try one but we aren't really bike people, we can manage pushbikes but it wasn't an integral part of our life in the past, and I am a bit apprehensive about balance now. Silly really - all the 80+ year olds still ride here!

    • FlipDover_Aust
      FlipDover_Aust EileenH

      Posted

      Mr Flip is the very opposite when it comes to anything with a motor and mechanical bits. He'll be endlessly playing with it (them - we got one for him too). We both ride motorbikes, so this will be easy - right? lol

    • diana21296
      diana21296 FlipDover_Aust

      Posted

      Hope you enjoy your electric bike.  I have a male friend who has just bought one and he loves it. He sails by struggling cyclists on racing bikes wearing all the gear when going up hills and feels very superior!  Expensive but worth the money he says.   As part of my PMR NHS physio we bought a stand for my normal bike which I used to enjoy doing and I cycle this every other day for so many minutes going through the gears. Started at 1.30 minutes and worked up under physio's instructions.  Keeps the circulation going and I put on radio 4 on the headphones and pedal away.

  • diana21296
    diana21296 jae61606

    Posted

    I have a friend whose husband had PMR in his early sixties.  Once he started on 30mg of Pred, he carried on with his job, part desk work, part moving up and down and he had no trouble at all.  He was tired in the evening and used to drop off in the chair, but apart from this he was fine and was off steroids within 2 years. Know 4 men who were off within 2 years and just heard of another chap the same.  I am very jealous as this seems rare with females who seem to have it for much longer.  Must be hormones!
  • jae61606
    jae61606

    Posted

    Thanks, everyone. My husband is a teacher and so far the main accommodation has been a chair in his classrooms so he can sit if fatigue hits. I am encouraged by the responses since he does not have a heavy labor job. 
    • EileenH
      EileenH jae61606

      Posted

      There is the brain fog aspect though - due to both the autoimmune part of PMR and the pred. Pred may also affect mood and make people very short-tempered so DO watch out for that. Short temper in the classroom can be risky.
    • jae61606
      jae61606 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you. I am keeping a very close eye on his mood, He has always been slow to anger so it should be very obvious . I hope so, anyway. 
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