Thanks
Posted , 5 users are following.
just a thankyou to all who share their experiences.
I'm a fairly fit 65 years. Its my first anniversary for PMR! I was in Nepal when symptoms appeared. Just driven through Tibet. Part way through driving from UK to Aus. Excruciating pain, limited arm movement, limited walking. Struggled to climb into and out of cab. Involuntary screams - that isn't me. Vehicle maintenance took a hit. I couldn't even change a fan belt. The pain from contortions while stopping a near electrical fire still haunts me. No real opportunity to shorten the drive so carried on through India and Myanmar to Malaysia. A couple of weeks on a Thai beach, swimming every day, didn't help. No potential for reliable diagnosis. The local doctors were more used to typhoid and malaria. A bit scary really as independent travel can be quite demanding without additional obstacles.
April in Australia before diagnosis and relief. The day after landing. I've been lucky with doctors. Now down to 5mg/day pred. Under control as long as I don't do too much in the garden - three years of growth to tame. The change from 3 years continuous travel to a sedentary stationary life is interesting and not without stress. We needed a rest.
I'm also extremely independent. Not used to needing help.
I've fortunately avoided lengthy depression from the pred. Just a few short lows, and I've enjoyed the longer highs. Been surprised by sudden mood swings. Wondered at short term memory loss. And so on. I was offered some work which has kept my mind occupied, but at times its been a struggle to concentrate.
Reduction in pred has been appropriately slow. The pattern of reduce a bit followed by flare up for a few days could become an impediment. Lots of excuses for not reducing. But I think I'm lucky to keep finding a balance between pred dose and stable condition. Just enough stiffness, pain and numbness to remind me but not enough pain to inhibit me. Flare up in a different place each time. Last one I was unable to grasp anything due to pain in fingers.
I've always had chronic headache and in the last 25 years back and leg pain (leftover from op). The pred is masking other problems nicely. Another excuse for not reducing.
So I write up the line in the diary the night before and simply take less as planned, even though everything I know says don't. A bit of resolve needed.
I've had Hashimoto's Syndrome for a few years. But basically I'm relatively stable, steadily reducing the pred dose, living with the pred side effects. Still a long way to go, but getting there. My cup is more than half full.
Probably all "text book". But most of the understanding I have of my condition and management of the pred has come from this group.
So thankyou again for all the help. Happy Christmas to all.
4 likes, 6 replies
Oregonjohn-UK julian.
Posted
pat38625 Oregonjohn-UK
Posted
Mrs.Mac-Canada julian.
Posted
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Hugs, Diana
caz22 julian.
Posted
Happy Christmas to all.
julian. caz22
Posted
We (wife and I) were both like pin cushions - polio, whooping cough, diptheria, tetanus, hep A, hep B, typhoid, rabies, and probably some more the doc popped in. No side effects - we were very active clearing a big garden after a big flood before we left. All in Jan 2011. Set off in Feb 2011. We didn't take malaria prohylactics.
PMR symptoms arrived in November 2013 (after about 2 1/2 years and 30 countries). Really difficult to find a cause. However, Nepal we stopped for a rest, instead of driving and sight seeing we set about cleaning the truck - first symptoms were as if I'd just done too much cleaning with right arm and hand. Masked by bus ride from hell - bent over standing and I suspect early symptoms of trapped nerve in neck which subsided.
There was also an element of stress relief. We were on safe ground, not having to worry about where to camp every night. My history is of becoming ill when stress is released, never during. I just didn't expect PMR.
And yup, the adventure really was quite something.
EileenH julian.
Posted
You're obviously an "autoimmune person" with Hashimoto's too - but you aren't doing badly to be down to 5mg in a year!!! It took me 5 years - and I'd had PMR for 5 years before the pred was started!