my journey with polymyalgia rheumatica

first visited gp dec 2010 with severe pain and stiffness in muscles of legs and hips, upper body ached but not too bad, was told had back problems and prescibed pain killers, over the next month pain and stiffness spread to every muscle in my body bar my head, thank god. returned to gp end jan 2011 and was immediately diagnosed with pmr, 20mg of predisolone given and within 12 hours pain free. in may 2011 my hands became stiff and swollen and unable to open jars etc, very painful, gp referred me to a rheumatologist as he suspected rhuematoid arthritis, appointment within 2 weeks and yes diagnosis correct,now on 15mg methotrexate which after about 8 weeks relieved pain in hands, got down to 10mg prednisolone without too much bother.

but have been unable to go maintain lower dose for any length of time, have actually got down to 1mg but within 4 days am in agony. i thought i was beating this pmr but i am afraid it is beating me at moment.

very down, weight gain awful, at least have lost moon face for the time being.

i have had lots of support from my doctors surgery and my rheumatologist.

will try again to reduce steriods but at a slower rate, have problems with pressure behind eyes and constant water infections which gp puts down to steriod side affects, in jan and feb 2012 have appointments with various hosp departments to try and sort this out.

i did feel quite alone when first diagnosed and frightened as the pain was horrific but after finding this website and reading the forum feel more confident that one day i will beat pmr, i do realise that rhuematoid arthritis is different and is incureable but seems to be controlled by the methotrexate at moment. i was 63 when diagnosed.

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