Any advice please on occupational health assessments in the UK

This illness takes your breath away with all its different twists and turns. So glad you’re on a dosage which is helping. Pred helps with symptoms but doesn’t deal with the cause, so it’s important to rest, pace yourself and find a level of fitness which doesn’t do you more damage. It’s early days and you need time to find out your boundaries. I can’t  judge your situation or your relationship with your employer but you’re unlikely to be back to work for some weeks or even months, and even then it may be on a different footing. Could an OH assessment be helpful to you, fine tuning your diagnosis and giving you an idea of where you’re at and what you can realistically aim for?

Polymyalgia, managed carefully, isn’t a life threatener but it is a life changer, and that’s really hard to take on board in the early days. Good luck, and keep posting here. This is a really wonderful and informative Forum. 

Jacqueline, Sorry to hear that you are joining us on our PMR journey. I would speak to your doctor about increasing Prednisone dosage to you see some improvement, then ask to stay on that dosage to you are feeling good. I would not taper if still having PMR pain. Some of us are never totally PMR pain free, I am and am very active. Prednisone has it bad side effects but nothing you cannot live with in the short run. I lead a very active normal life will be basically PMR pain free since last June. Good luck, think positive with a smile. ☺️

Hi!

I’m sorry you are having such a hard time.  Like the previous responder, I am extremely active playing soccer and Tennis  several times a week ( at age 68)

But 8 or so years ago, I was in severe pain and could barely function athletically until I was properly diagnosed and put on the proper amount of prednisone.  Unfortunately there have been many flares throughout the course of my treatment, along with several trials on other meds none of which worked.  Last July I was back up to 30mg but now I’m at 9.   Going to go extra slowly from here on out ... with proper medication, it’s possible for at many PMR sufferers to remain very active.  Hopefully with proper meds you will be too!   I also have “ atypical, mild” RA., which complicates the picture a little.  

 I think Getting yourself on a dose that gets you to an almost pain free state is an important start.    Best of luck !

The hip and knee pain could be bursitis - and that may need an injection to improve quickly, oral pred takes ages.

Why on earth can't doctors follow the guidelines for the starting dose at least? 15mg is the usual starting dose - and below 12.5mg is advised against.