More "weird" side effects!

Hi..2 answer your question, no, I've not gained weight. Actually, I've lost 3 lbs! It just seems everything is shifting around in a very short period of time! I'm not sure what 2 make of it, but I don't Like it. I feel like Jello!!

Hi guys! Thanks 4 the quick response. Greatly appreciated! I started on 15mg. 1 mon. ago. am now on 9.5. Everything has really hit fast! I'm thinking I may have GCA and not pmr based on fact I've got double vision in rt. eye and have had an onslaught of headaches recently. Can't get hold of my doc, but will keep trying. Pls keep in touch as I'm feeling somewhat alone right now! P.s....just had another appt. w/different doc. Looks like I just came out of shower as I'm Dripping w/sweat!😠

The weak flimsy  muscles sounds like PMR to me.   I got so bad I really had a hard time getting around.  I was previously very active and lost  strength in my legs really quick with upper thigh muscles like jello.  I have had some headaches and jaw pain, but I have had migraines 1-4 per month for years.  My Rheum said I don’t have GCA.   But in case you do,  being on a higher dose would be important.   I hope you get to talk to your doctor soon.    I hope you feel better soon.

Does anyone experience hands kinda locking up or "freezing"? Besides the joint pain in fingers, I've been having trouble holding my phone or brushing my hair. Hands keep cramping up. I'm afraid I may be sounding a bit hypochondriacal right now, but these new things just keep popping up. I apologize to you all. Please bear with me for now.

Thanks for the kind words. It's my nature 2 smile and I will continue 2 to do so! In fact, your post made me smile, (in fact,chuckle!). Until 1 1/2 yrs ago, I too had a mini-doxie for 20yrs!! She was a true joy and I miss her lots.

I had that too but I can't remember when it stopped. I don't have it now but I am more than 3 years down the line and on 3mgs. The 'dizziness' is something that comes and goes a bit and I find that if I haven't slept well it affects me the next day. I also have tinnitus. I didn't have that before pred so I'm not sure where it came from but I suspect it may be partly due to inflammation as last year I asked the GP to check my ears and she said I had inflammation in one ear and gave me drops. The tinnitus happens to be more prevalent in that ear. I think if you post a symptom you will almost certainly find others who have or had similar unless it's completely unrelated. You are not a hypochondriac. It's just the nature of the beast or the pred.

My hands seized up just before I was diagnosed with PMR and prescribed pred but it was the tendons not the joints.

Now the work - mostly! They are still very inflamed and the tendons to the middle fingers stick out. These are very tender to touch and get really painful if I wring out cloths or something similar. (I now spin cloths in the washing machine) and cramp up if I hold them in the same position too long, holding the phone etc.  They will inject them with steroid if they get too bad.

But most annoying of all - I drop things!  My back is bad from another condition so bending down to pick things up is literally a pain!

It seems we all have symptoms in common, and then some that are all our own!

I'm afraid I haven't quite come to terms with having PMR yet and sometimes just want to somehow pull it off as if it were a dress and put it aside.

Now wouldn't that be good?

Try not to worry. You are not a hypochondriac - you just have a lot to take on board at the moment.  What would we do without this site??

I started four months ago with pmr and have only managed to reduce to 18 mg of prednisone from 25mg. 

Try slowing down your reduction   ..

Of course most of us pmr/ers have some sort of side affects ...like yourself, I'm suffering from perspiring profusely , to a stage were it's really embarrassing to go outdoors. 

I just try to laugh it off and tell my friends I'm going through the menopause 😂

I'm 76 years old next Birthday, but I honestly try to keep things in proportion to what this horrible debilitating disease is causing me, both physically and mentally. 

Physically it's a pain in the neck, sorry no pun intended. 😷

Mentally, well it's hard looking at my face, with its double chin, puffy eyes , fat cheeks and all my wrinkles suddenly disappeared making me look like I've been under the plastic surgeon's knife, which has gone horribly wrong. 

My Neighbour of 40 years, even had the nerve to ask me when did I do the face fillers.  😂

I told her that is my secret, but if she really wanted to know, she should visit my Rheumatologist first.  

Now joking aside. Since my belly has blown out of all proportion, I had a whale ( again no pun intended ) of a time shopping for new clothing ... girls, definitely, there is some plus to putting weight on in the wrong places.  

I'm not usually a hefty gal, but I really have to smile , especially when people who I've known for years , walk passed me, as they don't recognize me. Sometimes it's good, because I don't always feel in the mood to start explaining all about PMR..

Finding fashionable clothes for this new whale figure I have been blessed with , has been a big problem, so I now head for the nearest maternity shop. Of course I get some dirty looks from "other" pregnant girls...

Apart from the face and belly, I have now developed, what I would call "bat wings"

hanging down like curtains.  

As a young 75  I realize that things could be a lot worse. Believe me.  

We shall all overcome this set back and get back to normal soon, it just takes a little time ..bless you all and keep your peckers up. ??

Before I went onto pred I couldn't hold things - kept dropping them - and my hands cramped if I held something awkwardly or for too long, especially my thumbs.

When on pred your body loses more magnesium than usual through the kidneys - you could try a magnesium supplement to see if that helps. If it doesn't then speak to your doctor.

But really - reducing from 15mg to under 10mg in a month is crazy and really won't help your problems.

Hello thank you for your very uplifting message you really made me smile. I feel the same as you each time I look in the mirror. I had a friend here one day and I glanced in the mirror and said 'who the 'f' is that'? She laughed and then we both couldn't stop. Oh my goodness the puffy tummy what can I say - you did mention 'whale' Ii can go with that.

I cant believe how huge I look and feel. Also it is really effecting me mentally. I have always been a person who smiles a lot but now I seem to look rather weird when I smile!!!!!!!

Yes clothes are a big problem where do we go to find what we want, I have not tried the maternity department yet but I think that I will. Now that is a great tip - thank you. Better find a friend to come with me so that I have someone to laugh with!!

Thank you so much for your huge sense of fun you are a real 'tonic'. Big Hug for that.

Yes we will keep our peckers up....