PMR AND WORK?
Posted , 12 users are following.
Hi..I have just been diagnosed with PMR and have a question. I clean houses 40 hrs+ a week...I have fear that my Dr.said I can resume work after 72hrs. on steroids. I have literally been immobilized for about the past 3 weeks with PMR and I'm afraid to return to cleaning so soon as I fear going through this again. She has me on 15mg Pred & Vit C and Vit D. My sed rate is 76 and protein is 16.5. Just wondered if anyone has any suggestions.
Thank you...
1 like, 14 replies
noninoni carleen79880
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EileenH noninoni
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EileenH carleen79880
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You do NOT feel 100% just because you are on pred whatever she thinks. All pred does is manage the inflammation that is being caused by an underlying autoimmune disorder that makes your immune system attack your body by mistake. The underlying illness is still there and the fatigue remains because your muscles are intolerant of acute exercise. You have to learn to pace yourself and rest appropriately so you don't over-tire your muscles so they don't get totally sore again. If you go to clean houses for 40 hours a week you won't be able to gain any benefit from the pred which is just managing the symptoms to give you a reasonable quality of life.
You need to stay on the current dose until that sed rate is down to nearer normal - and that could be 6 weeks or more. Then you will need to reduce very slowly in small steps to find the lowest dose that will give the same result as the starting dose did. It is important to do that slowly so you find the right dose - go too fast and get too low and it will all be back like it was last week.
Are you sure it is Vit C and vit D? Isn't it calcium and vit D supplements? Vit C won't do anything but you do need calcium and vit D supplements to try to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Where do you live (country and region will do, not your address)? Knowing if you are UK or USA make a difference as to what we tell you and in the UK there are support groups in some places.
And here's a reading list you may find useful:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-website-addresses-and-resources-35316
But ask any questions you like - we'l do our best.
carleen79880 EileenH
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andrea93419 carleen79880
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I agree totally with Eileen!! I've had PMR since December 2014 and haven't been in work since January 2015!!!!! I have a very physical demanding job, standing and walking for 8 hours on a moving high speed train, there's no way my GP or company doctor let me set one foot on board, we all know PMR doesn't take kindly to hard work!!!
good luck Andrea xx
diana21296 carleen79880
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andypolly carleen79880
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carleen79880 andypolly
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shawn99 carleen79880
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Sorry to hear that you have contracted PMR.
As Eileen pointed out, you'll likely not be able to work right away, especially in a job that can be physical.
Everyone is so different that I find it hard to believe your doctor would make a statement like that.
I went back to work after one month, but at a desk job....no physical work. Even with being in top physical shape, a nationally competitive athlete, it was difficult.
Sitting at a desk was hard enough and many days I struggled. There are attached side effects by being on prednisone and these can be taxing mentally and physically.
I would count on not going to work right away, but rather let your body figure things out so you can feel better and heal faster.
Good luck,
Shawn
Sheilamac_Fife carleen79880
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I know now that I could not have done it, even if a GP (who has clearly never had PMR...) said that I could! Couldn't even clean my own house!!
oh, they make me mad!
artfingers carleen79880
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artfingers
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dan38655 carleen79880
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Is the doctor writing this on some kind of employment compensation form, or might it be just a matter of instructing the patient that it is now time to begin testing what activity is possible now as the patient's recovery begins.
As Eileen has mentioned before, residual bursitis (and other insults to the afflicted soft tissues) tends to linger like an injury for some time after medication reaches it's therapeutic range.
It was a few months after my initial, generous dosage of prednisone took effect before I could climb up onto a scaffold, I had so much soreness and had lost too much strength already, even though I am very light.
Getting back to work might not be a bad idea, but the duties and duration needs a huge adjustment as you already know, and in many jobs it is all or nothing, where a different worker would need to fill in.
I'm hoping that your employer is able and willing to be flexible.
carleen79880 dan38655
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