Does stress and anxiety effect PMR

I think pretty much everyone will say yes.

Yes, it does and as Eileen has also replied to the same effect I'd be surprised if there are any who don't. One of the first questions the GP asked me was whether I was stressed when he diagnosed PMR.

I distinctly remember when I'd been on pred for a couple of months learning about a (to me) rather stressful civic issue and almost literally feeling my body starting to burn up! After that I learned to pick my battles. Although it's been difficult getting friends and family to understand I'm really not the same person I was a few years ago, at least I now understand that about myself.

Most definitely!

Perhaps not with increased PMR pain, but a stressful day will zap me of energy and motivation to do much of anything for a day or two. If I happens at a critical stage in reducing prednisone I delay any further taper for a few days.

YES, big time!

Yes, yes, and yes!!

I recently had to take a series of exams and my anxiety was so through the roof that I actually lost cognitive capacity w/ the first. The residual inflammation then affected my knees and hips and I had no choice but to set aside my taper and return to 7 mg pred to mop it up. The exam process went from being nervous-making -- which is normal -- to being 3 days of pathological anxiety. And I'm a seasoned highly proficient exam-taker. So for sure: auto-immune disorders definitely affect -- actually, disrupt and negatively impact -- how we metabolize stress. Grateful for your question and the responses.

It's good to know and read about stress and PMR i thought it was just me. not only that but i find i get very anxious when having visitors or even family for dinner! i worry so much more about everything but then think this might be because I'm older!difficult to fathom out. good question Patricia thanks

Hi patricia136

Stress and anxiety does make PMR worse because our adrenals are affected by prednisolone whereby preds stop the adrenals from helping us with our 'fight or flight' situation.

When i was first diagnosed with PMR i was stressed about an operation i was going to have and my 'fight or flight' reaction didn't help much. So when my adrenals were affected by preds, i had no control whatsoever over any anxiety and stress especially when i got to lower doses and i felt pain more during a stressful situation. I had pain, dreadful heart palpitations and breathlessness...i had to lay down until it calmed down and went away...until the next time. I eventually learned how to deal with it. ...

Patricia, I firmly believe that stress has a effect on my PMR. I know we all are different and PMR is different in each case, but if I have too much stress I can work myself into a flare. Good luck stay stress and PMR pain free. 🙂