PMR Flare , please help.

It does sound like PMR, but it could be something else. I get a lot of pain which my physiotherapist (and I) think is referred pain from my spine because of osteoarthritis. Now, I'm NOT saying this is what is going on with you, I give you this account only as an example, but I can say that my physio sometimes finds certain muscle groups are really really tense and they are causing significant pain, say in my neck or hip or legs, but massage and other treatment (light therapy in her clinic, heat in my home) help enormously. So sit back for minute and think about whether something you've been doing lately could have triggered this kind of reaction by your muscles. If sciatica has flared up, it can in turn cause muscles to tense, and you may be unaware of this happening. I have to say I'm never conscious of it, but after the physiotherapist works on the area which hurts, and also targets the place where the pain might be originating, I feel better! I do find this pain is relieved temporarily by aspirin, my painkiller of choice.

Now, if your other painkillers aren't helping, and it sounds like a normal starting level of pred isn't either, I think you need to consult with your doctor and possibly get a referral to a physiotherapist who is familiar with treating PMR patients. The wrong kind of physio can do more harm than good. You don't need strengthening and repetitive exercises, you probably need therapies to release tension and follow up exercises to keep the muscle tone healthy.

Your doctor also needs to know the level of pain you are experiencing and run a few tests to make sure there isn't something new, non-PMR, causing it.

Hope you can find out what's going on and feel better soon.

HELLO ling42044 , I've been putting up with PMR since mid 2011. First I would try getting a dr appoitment. Sounds like it's easier here in the states to get into the dr. Ihad been on methotrexate and finally got off in November and was at 0 mg prednisone in March. In October we moved and Iifted a heavy landscape rock and felt a pain in my back. In late November all of a sudden Icould barely walk. Ihad an MRI showing a ruptured disc. My sciatica caused my left quad to shut almost off. going up stairs was one step at a time. I tried two injections but they didn't work so on Jan 18th I had a micro disectomy. About a month later when physical therapy started my thighs started getting sore. Iwas off prednisone at this point and chalked it up to weakness from sitting for so long from the pain. After surgery my serious leg pain was gone and I was able to sleep again. After two visits to my rheumotologist she was convinced the PMR had returned. She started me on 7.5 mg and its been a week and it's under control. She said when I get to 5 to stay there for at least 6 weeks. She said my back problems especially the surgery more than likely led to another flare. I've had quite a few. I hope your able to get a quick appoitment .

Hi Ling, I know we are all different, but here is what I did for my last flare in January. I was on 5 mg and up up dosage to 20 mg in 5mg, 4 day steps up and down, I stay on the 20 for 4 days also. I then stayed on the 5 mg for 8 weeks, till ski season was over then started to taper to 4.5 using modified DSNS. I have use that quick up and down method successfully several times now. Good luck, think positive 🙂

I am also into my 6th year with PMR. I worked all fall and winter to reduce my prednizone. I had a flare last AUG in my left hip area. SCIATICA and PIRIFORMIS. I saw a chiropractor for 6 weeks in which he helped to relieve my 2 year issue with my hip. I went from 20mg last Aug. to 10mg this past April. I thought, finally! Well, I started having a lot of pain in my thighs and hips again. I crept up to 12-13-15-17 and back up to 20mg. So upset Im starting over at reducing again. I'm following your post in hopes of finding the answer. Its been mentioned to find a physiotherapist by a friend of mine who is a PT.

I'd suggest you may well need to find yourself a good physiotherapist or therapeutic massage therapist - because it sounds to me as if this is more than "just" PMR - at least, what you describe is what happens to me when myofascial pain syndrome kicks in on top of the PMR. It starts in my lower back with the piriformis muscle which is what causes the sciatica and then spreads to other back muscles which also go into spasm causing quite severe pain. It resolves some but slowly at higher doses of pred but then turns up again at lower doses or if you do something to aggravate it - lifting, cleaning (sweeping or vacuuming are particularly bad) or even just lying badly - mine tried to flare a couple of weeks ago after 3 hours in the dentist's chair!!

And if this is what has been happening for the last few years, maybe your PMR may turn out to be not as bad as you think!