Work related stress and PMR

I think almost everyone would say that stress feeds their PMR - and since stress impacts on the immune system that is hardly surpising. It is the accumulated effect of years of stress of various sorts, whether emotional, physical, illness, accident, chemical, environmental, that is the probable cause of the immune system going haywire in the first place and starting to attack your body. So stressing it more will very likely lead to the symptoms flaring.

It won't be cortisol surging around your system - while you are at above about 7mg of pred the body doesn't produce much, if any. But pred is the equivalent of cortisol and it is there doing a similar thing.

Many people who are still working when they develop PMR/GCA eventually end up reducing their hours and even retiring or going off sick for an extended period. Especially when they have GCA as the high doses of pred required do have other effects that sometimes don't mix well with a responsible job in terms of decision making, concentration and so on. Many are already at past retirement age anyway which does help manage a decent quality of life with PMR. I worked freelance as a translator so was able to arrange my hours to suit me but when I had a deadline it was hard. And having finished the job I was flat for days. 

Can't answer to work stress as I'm retired now.  However,  since I began a second flare after 7 years, I've discovered any serious stress does make me feel worse.

I hope you find a way to help. Bad enough dealing with PMR without outside influences make it worse.

Heron, not sure what brought on my PMR, buying a house, selling the house we were living in way before the new house was anywhere near ready; it was very, very stressful. Yes, I believe stress has a large effect on my PMR. I try to think positive and smile, believing it helps. ☺️

I've only had PMR just under 2 years, but stress whether work related or not, definitely has an effect on me.   For example, I work full time in the construction industry and the winter months are pretty laid back for me at work.  I've been using the DSNS reduction method for prednisone and it's gone rather uneventfully all winter.  Prior to using this method I'd had difficulty getting below 10 mg without flaring up.  This winter with my stress and physical work load very low I've been able to finally break thru my 10 mg "barrier" and continue reducing.  However, in recent weeks it's gotten busy making estimates and bidding projects.  Not even into the physical work yet.  If I start pushing too hard or stressing over a deadline I find that I'll pay for it with some sort of flareup.  

Example:  Tuesday I had a bid deadline that was tight and then a load of pipe showed up unexpectedly that had to get unloaded and put away before a forecasted snowstorm arrived.  No real physical work - but stressed trying to get it done quicker than normal so I could get out the door for my rheumy appointment that day.  Accomplished everything fine but the next morning I flared up in shoulders and hands and paid for it for 3 days.  If I pace myself and take longer breaks I seem to do okay at work but it's a real balancing act.  Hitting it really hard and also stressing can put me out of work for days.  

yes definitely I think so, my days were rushing all day, desperately trying to get all the work done, it was all physical work, then to come home and rushing all evening to get everything done, including the weekends.

then came the bullying at work, then diagnosed with PMR.

Still working full time, still find myself rushing, but learning it is not worth it.

Take care

Heron, 

In answer to your question, I do have more pain with stress from my job. I am an accountant and this time of year, I am full in stress mode. I have found that I need a little more Pred 2-3 mg a day to be able to function. As soon as I can, I start to reduce again and can usually get back where I was prior to the stress. It may take a month or so depending on how long I was on the raised Pred dose. 

You will have to work it out trial and error as everybody is different. 

Good luck,

Judy B