I am hoping this post might allay some fears about Prednisone and Methotrexate.

Hi, I have just read your post with great interest. My husband was diagnosed last August after having injections to go to Vietnam and the flu injection. As soon as he had the flu injection, his health deteriorated. After spending two weeks in Vietnam we had to come home he was in so much pain. After a couple of weeks he was diagnosed with PMR. He started off on pred. and things improved for a very short time but it again flared up and the doctor put him on plaquenil, 200 mg a day, Saazopyrin, 3 morning and night, and he is currently on pred, 10 mg. a day. I was feeling very teary today as I see my once active husband not able to do a quarter of what he once did and he is a man who likes to be active. He is 67 and our lives have been very much impacted by this. I hate to see him in pain. Even at night as he turns he groans. He has trouble dressing and walking generally. I feel he is on the point of depression and I feel very helpless. Anyone got any ideas how I can help. Thank you .

I am sure most people suffering from PMR will tell you to up your husbands pred.to 20mgs and then slowly start reducing. I am not sure what saazopyrin is for.

The higher dose of pred will knock out the pain and bring mobility back.

DJ

Its nice to read about people who have things under control and who seem to have their life back.

caz - so sorry to read about your husband. I too developed pmr after a flu injection. I already had a bad back, and my theory is that at the time I had a back pull which was very sore. I reckon because the flu jab get the immune system very active - mine saw the inflammation / or joints as the enemy. How can one get the message to the immune system to stop attacking its own host. I do think that will be the way forward in the future - that somehow we will develop a way of controlling it. We can to an extent through visualisation and some swear they have cured things with this alone.

For your husband to still have problems dressing and all those other symptoms most of us relate to - is it not possible for him to go on a much higher dose of pred again and almost start again?

So sorry to hear about your poor husband caz. As per the other responses,get him to a dr or rheumy who will put his dose of Pred up so that he is not in such pain. Then after a while he can try reducing. It is terrible how this condition affects the lives of so many - not just the sufferers. You are obviously a great support for your husband and I'm sure he appreciates it. My own husband, neighbours and work colleagues have been a source of strength for me. Who knows what triggers PMR? I am sure each person is different. I've had flu shots for the last 10 years and also cholera/typhoid etc shots for travelling to Asia with no reaction (that I was aware of). Mine SEEMED to come on suddenly. After a night out of dancing and a few wines, I couldn't move to get out of bed the next day. that started the rounds of blood tests, physios, yoga etc until my GP was away and the Indian dr standing in for him noticed my high inflammation levels on my blood results from the month prior and referred me to Dr lim. I am so grateful that she did. When I think back, for the last few years, I do remember that whenever I went for a massage, I would always get them to concentrate on the muscles closest to my upper spine and my neck. These parts of my body would ache after vigorous exercise, and, unlike my fellow runners, I would need a hot show and horizontal rest/nap after a run. I'd marvel at how they could carry on with their chores or head to the pub etc. I'd always have to use copious amounts of 'Deep Heat' or Voltarin cream after exercise. I used to think that my shoulders ached because my handbag was over full. I guess these could have been early symptoms or signs.

Before Pred, I would scream if I had to sneeze, as it felt like my rib cage was shattering. I could not turn over in bed. Restful sleep was impossible. I am a teacher and had to have lots of time off work. I couldn't drive or ride my motorbike as I couldn't turn my head. My husband and daughter had to do lots of things without me as I just could not even sit in a car for any amount of time. I didn't want to be around others while I was in pain, and I am a very social person. I am telling you all this so that you can best get help for your husband soon. If you don't get any satisfaction from the dr he is seeing, my advice is to change drs...fast! I wish you all the best and hope you are able to post some positive updates soon.

I agree with jenn. If we could find a way to boost our immune system we could fight these Horrible complaints , I'm afraid to catch the common cold , it goes straight to my chest , then its pneumonia and antibiotics , had 2 bouts this year 2 the year before , ,I do hope someone comes up with something soon , I had Ross river fever a few years ago and found the pain I suffered with that was a lot worse than this polymialgia , but in my case I'm nearly off the pres. But will keep it up for a while yet anyway , , I know I can go up if I need to and gradually come back down , as it is I'm still on 1/2 mg , so good luck people , and hope everyone can feel better soon ,

I found that the Pred was a miracle drug as soon as I had taken 15 daily for 3 days I was painfree and almost doing everything as normal. At the moment I am tapering off from 7 to 6 on Eileens slow reducing method and am at 7 for 3 days and 6 for 1 day, I will do this and hopefully get to 6 altogether without a Flare as that happened last time when I low dosed totally and had to go to 7. I must say I am mainly pain free on 7 but Rheumy wants me down to 4 asap. Please Eileen could you advise is it a reverse when I get to 6 and two days 6 and 1 day seven, 3days6 and 1 day 7, etc etc ? Dont want to mess up what seems to be working. I play Crown green bowls 4 times weekly and having little or no affect from PMR, just some minor shoulder stiffness.

Thanks for your replies, they are much appeciated. I am having trouble reading the replies, is there any way I can make the posts larger.

caz, you should be able to make the print larger by holding down the control key on the keyboard and at the same time turning the little wheel on the mouse away from you (if you have a mouse, that is!)