suspected PMR-awaiting labs

I find heating pad and my TENS machine slightly helpful.

I found that heat does help...a little.  Also as counterproductive as it seems. Walking around the house very easily helps to relieve the stiffness. Unfortunately until you get on the prednisone nothing is going to help much.  The good news is that after your first 2 doses you will see amazing results if it is PMR .

Hi manikki

Have to agree with others. Nothing touches PMR like steroids. OTC painkillers may dull the pain slightly but will not alleviate altogether. Heat will also help a little. But do try and keep moving, albeit slowly. Hopeful your doctor will do the right thing at your next appointment.

if you could sit in a warm bath but if you are anything like I was you will never be able to get out.  I don't know where you are but a swimming pool with warmer water also helps.  If you have some real pain meds around that also helps.  

If all else fails and you can handle it have yourself a stiff drink 

so very sorry 

Call your doctor and tell them the pain is too severe to wait past Monday or go to ER today and have them contact doctor.

No one should be in that kind of pain although we all have been at one time or another.

if you could sit in a warm bath but if you are anything like I was you will never be able to get out.  I don't know where you are but a swimming pool with warmer water also helps.  If you have some real pain meds around that also helps.  

If all else fails and you can handle it have yourself a stiff drink 

so very sorry 

Call your doctor and tell them the pain is too severe to wait past Monday or go to ER today and have them contact doctor.

No one should be in that kind of pain although we all have been at one time or another.

Keep in mind that 20-30% of PMR sufferers are sero-negative, where inflammatory markers are not significantly out of range, and some doctors deny inflammation without high ESR or CRP readings. One of the "diagnostic" markers for PMR is rapid response (6 hours to 3 days) to low dose prednisone(15 mg/day).

I suffered 8 weeks total, 4 weeks after a rheumatologist said "you have no inflammation" Was hung out to dry, during which time I told my girlfriend that if my symptoms  did not improve, in 6 months, I would eat a bullet. That bad.

After I read about the symptoms online I contacted my GP and said: "I will be coming in to your waiting room and will plop myself down. YOU will have to deal with me or call an ambulance." He prescribed 2 weeks of 15 mg/day prednisone, remission was miraculous in 6 hours. After 85% improvement, on pred, 2 weeks later: confirmation of PMR by head of Rheumatology @ Mayo.

I understand doctors reticence to over or unnecessarily prescribe drugs, including prednisone.

BUT you could be Damn well sure that if the doctor's close family member presented with PMR symptoms the Doc would have already started a trial low dose of prednisone!

I agree with Audrey: press the issue, and soon.

I kept going to the GP who said I had a virus in the end I was in so much agony I decided to see a private consultant who was on holiday so I had to wait a week or so. I don't know how I got through that time. I used to lie in bed unable to move without awful pain, I did not worry to get dressed even. Luckily the consultant gave me steroids immediately which was like a miracle. It could take me an hour to get out of a chair. I just kept counting the days. It is a pity your GP did not give you pred as a trial anyway and not wait for the blood test results. If it does not work you can always stop after a week. Can you ask for that in advance of the results appointment.

Thank you everyone....I will call the office on Monday. I am 65, and still working full time. Not sure if I can work at all this coming week the way I feel right now. You all are right though.....MOVING is the key I think. Lying in bed is agony....I can barely turn over, or get up. I took a shower and got dressed today and went to the grocery store. It took me almost 3 hours to do that, but I feel better than lying down. Could not even open a box of crackers at lunch time, or open an already opened jar of peanut butter, or cut my meat last night. I feel like I am becoming an invalid. I also have type II diabetes....so I know my Dr. may be reluctant to prescribe the prednizone.....but I will CONVINCE him. I haveread  that it can raise your sugars. I will just have to be VERY careful what I eat. ANYTHING to relieve this pain. I have given birth to 4 children, and have had a foot of my bowel removed; and this PMR is MORE painful than any of those in the long run....because the pain doesn't go away. I have had it for about 4 to 5 weeks. I appreciate the support. Thank You again.

 

I hope you were able to get to your doctor yesterday and get the medication needed to stop your pain.  I remember after self diagnosing, sitting in my doctor's office and not leaving until I received a perscription for prednizone. 

The very next day I felt like I could have climbed Mt. Everest   

Wishing you the best.

Yes, I did get the pred FINALLY yesterday; but not till 5:30PM....terrible SNAFU at the office, had to call the dr and phamacy THREE times during the day; I was not amused and spoke to the office manager later to complain, and she apologized and said she would check into it. Didn't make me feel much better as I had to wait ALL day again for some relief. I took my first pred t 5:30pm, and by the time I went to bed 4 hours later I was feeling a bit better, and by this morning I am 70% better. Hoping after pred #2, by the end of today I will have no pain !!!!!!!!!