Had PMR for about a year before properly diagnosed. Orthopedist gave me steroids but only for a short period. They worked, but doctors were reluctant to prescribe. I finally got diagnosed by a rheumatologist and he put me on 15mg, and tapered me down. I’m now at 3.5mg and doing well. Hope to be off in the next month or so. Also working on improving my diet, reducing carbs and seed oils, eating more in line with keto
was diagnosed with this in April and put on steroid course exactly as you described. Been off steroid course now for three weeks. PMR has returned with avengence and trying to cope without the steroids is hard. 54 yr old male and was very active. Seems to be a post viral infection and can only hope it goes soon. Sleep is the worst and an hour at a time if lucky. This video is so accurate . Tempted to try cbd. So much respect for those that have had to suffer constant pain now......will be raising money for that when this goes.
I have Fibromyalgia and ME/ CFS which developed after a contracting a virus......your description of your symptoms and it’s on and off states of pain is very similar to Fibromyalgia and CFS..... Fibromyalgia people actually have a term for this on/off symptoms, we call it a “flare up”. One day you can feel pretty good, minimal pain in the muscles and joints.....but the next day, just 24 hrs later, I can be bedridden, pain level of 9’s and 10’s, complete exhaustion, gastrointestinal issues, nausea, vomiting and even trying to think is stressful....my brain has an “Out of Order” sign stamped on it.......and now the COVID” long haulers “ are expressing all the same symptoms....there is a definite correlation with some viral component and damage to the mitochondrial from the virus, and then begins your NEW Normal! You become a whole other person that now spends a great amount of your days stressing of when it will flare up again, will it be a bad one or medium one, will I have to cancel any plans I’ve made, how many days will this flare up last, etc, etc. The things that can help are yoga, mindfulness, meditation , a healthier diet with anti inflammatory foods, definitely some pain meds! and acquiring a new degree of patience.... I hope you are able to find somethings that work for you, and to make living with this new body manageable.
@@s.k.2017 You can add anti-inflammatory supplements like Turneric/ Curcumin w/ bioperine 1,500mg 3x a day, Malunggay/ Moringa capsule or tea, Wild/ Alaskan Omega 3 fatty acid high in DHA and EPA 2000-3000mg per day, Vit. D3, 5,000-10,000 iu per day, Wobenzym or ZenWise Digestive Enzymes w/ Probiotic and Prebiotics, Ang stay away from Dairy Products milk, cheese, High Carbs, Processed foods, refined foods, all sweets and Healthy lifestyle
Hi Graeme This sounds very similar to what I had and you’re right The pain is totally unmanageable without steroids. I was 47-year-old. I was totally healthy then I broke my ankle in a motorbike accident ,I then got a DVT from the lack of movement they then put me on Pradaxa (blood thinners) to get rid of the clot three weeks later I could not move or even get out of bed. We did every test we could find. I forgot to take the steroids one-day on holiday and I was punished severely with unbelievable pain the next day. Like you I didn’t like me on the steroids but they worked. I spent a lot of time with a homeopath adjusting what I was eating. got rid of any inflammatory foods like the nightshade family as well as a raft of other treatments and eventually after 3 years got back to almost normal. Now I am facing spinal fusion because my L5 s1 disk has completely disintegrated and this can be caused from inflammation and auto immune disease. Before I head in issues I was very active skiing surfing Diving and mountain biking. . I do wonder if it was triggered by my motorbike accident and damage to my discs that we didn’t pick up at the time because this can create major inflammation which can turn into autoimmune. Then exacerbated by the Pradaxa blood thinners causing The PMR. I will never really known as the specialist didn’t believe at 47 I should have PMR. Still life goes on but as you say I now have great respect for people living with pain. I certainly can recommend a good homeopath to get everything back in balance. Good luck with your journey it’s a long one.
My friends and I can say that because it’s 64 years old after seven major back surgeries essentially fusing most of the lumbar spine I woke up one day my hands would not close. They were swollen could not hold a cuppa coffee. My shoulders were frozen moving them was very very difficult And painful in the morning to see my Doctor Who said I don’t know try Motrin two days later I went to the ER at our biggest and best hospital. They did thousands of dollars of blood work to tell me it was PMR put me on a steroid 35 units a day next morning pain gone hands back to normal. Life was good! About three months into this program I began to sweat excessively hours and hours at a time mind you this is in the middle of winter and northern New England. You cannot get warm, no matter what you do, you can’t stop the sweating but chills so I adjusted the steroid dose from 25 to 50 and in the meantime, the arthritis specialist add and and methyl Trixx at 25 mg. It is now one year later and I still have days hours really that the pain comes back in the shoulders, but at 20% of what it used to be and now I want to get off some of these medications the doctor says it’s working why mess with it my theory is I’m taking two of these medicines for nothing possibly and especially the steroid. I don’t need any degeneration More than I already have and if you search anywhere you want to find out what PMR was like in the 30s and 40s or even in 2015 you can’t find anything. It’s like this popped up in the year 2019 or 2020 and it has me wondering why go from no cases to many many many cases in a few months time makes me wonder if there’s a connection😳😡😡😡?
I had PMR I went to bed a fit 77 year old and woke up a cripple. After a while I concluded that it must have a cause and decided to de-toxify my body. After a bit of research I concluded it was the modern diet so decided to eliminate sugar, vegetable oils and ultra processed food from my diet. It worked fine and together with eliminating foods with lectins in and adding animal fats and olive oil to my diet I have now eliminated all signs of PMR from my body. It took several months but it worked.
@@kandacepatterson7965 There is much evidence to point to vegetable oils being the main problem. There is a host of diseases that were almost unknown before we began consuming them. They are hidden in many foods and even the cheese on cheap pizza's is not cheese it's doctored vegetable oil. Olive oil is good to consume but not good for cooking. If you can avoid steroids it will avoid all the side effects they have. A complete change of diet can't do you harm and there are huge benefits from it.
And the prednisone after you’re on it for a little while there’s no picnic either. It’s about the same as the pain. After seven major back surgeries and learning to live with that pain 24 seven now this bullshit to the pain, agenda and pain medicine does not touch this stuff 😡
@@LorySmith949 Doctors in the past have made some very wrong assumptions and demonised fat which has no foundation. 150 years ago diseases such as heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, AMD, etc were very rare and today you are highly likely to die from them. What has changed is our transition from animal fats to seed oils (vegetable oils) and the huge amounts of sugar that we eat. Humans have survived successfully for 3.5 million years consuming animal fats without a problem. Somebody who wanted to make a lot of money from processed foods told you they were bad and they had a healthy alternative. They lied.
Thanks for this fine explainer covering what can be a misunderstood topic among laypersons. I am white, male, 66, and this took me out of competitive ice hockey twice weekly and made me profoundly crippled to the point of crawling up stairs on all fours, and needing help putting on shoes, socks, shirts. Ten hours into my prednisone therapy I was 90% symptom-free. 24 hours later my pain was at zero and I had my entire range of motion back. I pray it does not return; it was a crushing experience that lasted almost six weeks before I was diagnosed.
My experience was very similar, I'm 70 and a bike rider. Severe loss of muscle mass is part of the condition (says my rheumatologist) and loss of muscle condition, steroids seem to halt the decay but dont seem to help regain muscle mass or condition. What I would like to know is ecpected outcome.
Was diagnosed with PMR in 2001, steroids were prescribed with Methotrexate, they helped but were not the answer. Then a year later i was given a Sulphasalozine injection and then tablets with the Methotrexate along with folic acid, and this has changed my life. Still get stiffness and pain in the shoulders and hips but at least I can now get on with life. The worst is the pins and needles in my arms when in bed, and trying to get up in the morning, takes about an hour before joints start to work and the fatigue is so tiring. I've been told this only lasts 2 years but I'm comming up to the start of my fourth year and cannot see an end. I loved to walk my dog but this is now a chore instead of a pleasure as my hips start to protest after about 20 minutes of walking. I'm seeing my consultant in July but I'm not hopeful. I just want my life back. I have to say, without my wife and her love, compassion and help I would never have coped.
@@LorySmith949 it's more fatigue than weakness, by 2pm I'm wrecked and just getting out of a chair is a chore. I get some days that are worse than others but the summer doesn't make any difference.
@madmeister407 me too by 12 or 1 pm I'm drowsy and tired than lying down makes it worse but I always have chronic fatigue syndrome. I read online the sun's uv rays make it worse. Too much disease I'm done with this world
I didn't know what was happening to me, but my wonderful doctors got together and found out...after a lot of blood being taken out of me, anyway one suggested I go on line and look it up and when I found this video, it hit right on!! Everything you said was right on, even the carpal tonal syndrome. after 2 days of steroids, I can already tell the difference, I never felt pain like this before, happy to be on the mend. I'm almost 73 also.
Be careful with the steroids the longer you’re on it the weaker your muscles will get like to your own home will become difficult to climb and with me sickness like upset, stomach, flu, like symptoms all day and sweating like you have never sweat in your entire life for hours on end Changing your clothes completely socks, pants underwear, T-shirt, sweatshirt soaked through in 20 minutes and you can’t get warm and that usually last for three or four hours in the morning! Just keep an eye out when you start feeling these things it’s not your body it’s the damn steroid!!!!!
How are you doing now, after 3 years? I just came down with PMR and I'm resisting taking steroids. I read so many awful comments about it. I hope you are well and healthy. This condition is the worst! I'm 71, one day, a month ago, I was playing pickleball every day, have the time of my life the next day I woke up crippled.
I see that this conversation goes back a while. I realize that this seems to be for students and I’m not sure how I got here, but I do appreciate the information and effort that has been put into the visual explanations. Thank you for that, because some of this information really puts this into perspective. However, for anyone reading this that may have PMR, I would say you are in for a ride, but I have other autoimmune diseases also. ITP, Thyroid issues, which is what my doctor thought the problem was until my SED Rate showed up at 127. I’ve had Lupus for a while and the list goes on. I have to say I’m not sure that 15 MG’s would have even slowed it down by that time, I was in severe pain in most of my body and my temples, neck and shoulders felt like I had been hit by a bat, I had lost 35lbs in about a month and a half, which is the one thing I didn’t complain about 🤷🏼♀️, truly I think I had most of the symptoms described above. My doctor started me on 60 MG’s of prednisone at the time and three years later I’m still taking it, but at a lower dose. The one thing I think could be talked about more is the severity of pain that someone with this disease is in and what it does to the quality of your life.
I agree. The pain is excruciating but you try not to moan too much because people get fed up hearing about it. In my case, I've had these symptoms for around four months and my doctor sent me to a Physiotherapist who said I had Rotator cuff issues and have me a Cortisone injection. Since then, I'm unable to get an appointment at my doctor's surgery to get bloodk tests to see if I've got PMR, and I'm nearing the end of my tether...
@@patharris9530 Try to see a rheumatologist. He or she will do the proper blood tests. Try to get some prednisone from the rheumatologist. As low as 10mg will reduce the symptoms and that will help confirm the PMR diagnostics.
Thank you. This has been very helpful. The visual helps. I've just been diagnosed and starting steroids. I'm very nervous about it. Although I trust my doctor , so I should try to relax through treatment
At 45 yrs.old I started to have noticeable fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis pain which I tried to ignore but sometimes needed narcotic medication to help mask the pain. When I turned 73 the pain was worse but felt different than usual. Tests results revealed severe RA and PMR, so steroids and other meds became a way of life. My RA is fairly well controlled but I’ve had major problems with sodium and potassium imbalances ( requiring hospitalization) and painful multiplying nodules under the skin covering my entire body ( except my head and neck) pitting edema, and neuropathy. My rheumatologist, nephrologist, neurologist, and now a dermatologist all are leaning towards a diagnosis of Dercum’s disease. I’m a medical students worse nightmare…Lol!
thanks a lot. Being a student in hygienism, I would always 1. try to find out what in the patient's diet has caused this dysfunctioning. 2. try to treat with DIET. Up to 2003, i was afflicted with 3 autoimmune disorders: a. arthritis (to all joints); b. acne; c. asthma (from age 4). I read the book of Dr Jean Seignalet, "diet, the 3rd nutrition". Roughly he says: for ALL autoimmune disorders quit cereals & milk (dairy products). I did it I healed from those 3 diseases that allopathic medicine was treating separately. My bone density increased. The calcium spurs have all gone. I haven't had a pimple or a fit of asthma since then. Arthritis comes back after one week if I eat wheat.
I fit the profile of pmr fairly closely.. An Endocrinologist suggested this as possibility but pointed out steroids were the treatment. The irony is my symptoms came on w a vengeance following intramuscular STEROID treatment and very strong anti-inflammatory, toradol. Subsequent to that I deteriorated rapidly including weight loss. My weight returned 1.5 years later, all other symptoms remain but there is sllow improvement. Anyway, agree this starts in the gut as feel mine became damaged. It's great if treatment helps some....but for others the side effects affecting metabolism and electrolyte balances are not insignificant nor getting to root issue.
Wonderful video. Had a shoulder in jury 3 months ago and started getting very stiff in the morning. Thought it was the way I was sleeping. It wasn't. Diagnosed with PMR a week ago and have been on 15 mg. prednisone. How or why this came on I do not know, but I do fit the profile. It's amazing to have your life change in a day. Hoping to get through this in 1-2 years.
Same exact thing happened to me at work about 2 years ago. I am on the dosage programmed he explained in the video given to me by my rheumatologist. sometimes there are flare-ups but it seems to be working pretty good .I am at 3 mg a day now hopefully to be off soon.
I’m 40 and I have all these symptoms. My arms (shoulders) are really stiff and weak. My legs aren’t working well my lower back and hips are sore. And my hands are weak too. Have not been diagnosed yet. Had a MRI done so far. All They found was arthritis in my neck.
One can have PMR and spinal arthritis togather. So your neck is another story. Weakness can be due to neck arthritis. But you may also have PMR altogather. Go to a rheumatologist . as a othopaedist or neurologist cant really diagnose you.
your exam website is fantastic!! i wish i discovered it earlier! i have my australian medical council exam in 2 months exactly and im wondering whether its too late to supplement my knowlegde using your website since im already doing multiple revision methods. I like the way the website is arranged in a very practical manner and also does the spaced repetition reminders as well. Good job on the website. Love from Kenya.
Good info, my CRP was 103! Severe pain, classic PMR symptoms. Diagnosed in early February. Taking 20mg prednisone now, split dose 10 morning, 10 evening. No sleep problems for me. Bad thing is I am insulin dependent type2 diabetic. I went from using 25 units 3 times per day to 35 to 40 units 3 times a day. I will see a Rheumatologist June 16. The pain is awful bad, I should know as 20 yrs ago I suffered 3rd degree leg burns on front and back of my legs, I know what pain feels like, and my PMR was bad. But the prednisone mostly knocks it out. I do notice taking four 200mg Ibuprofen actually does help me cope better, Rather do that than take more prednisone.
Also adding I am male, Northern European ancestry, 63 yrs old, 6'4" tall and weigh 225 pounds down from 240 before the PMR. I do not feel any negative effects using prednisone, but it wants to push my glucoses way up, still can reach low 300's even taking extra insulin. Prednisone will spike my glucose very high, even if I read 100 in the AM, I know 10mg prednisone will add 150 or more, so I take 40 units of Novolin 70/30, If I do not take a huge dose of insulin, it will get to the upper 300's my glucose. So yeah, I want to taper off ASAP. Or maybe the Rheumatologist can try some other drug like Methotrexate to lower my use of prednisone. Eventually the insulin brings down my sugar.
I have PMR..i was put on 60mg of steroids, yes 12 tablets and im now down to 7 tablets (35mg) .not everyone can take steroid, i must have had every side effect in the book, constant shaking, low mood, insomnia, weight gain. Find it hard to even function. scared to drive my car, not leaving the house. Not wanting to get out of bed. So dont think steroids are everyone. been on them 6 weeks and now im starting to wheen me off them. I can not wait to get my life back. Even had a Biopsy for Giant cell arteritis ..inconclusive.having a 2nd biopsy..but i can not stay on the steroids... im crawling the walls... not a student, but it great information for suffers
What nutritional deficiencies are present. You'd think with all the other testing, it would be top of the list. B12 has helped me immensely but no money in that.
Due to other things I waited 3 months for diagnose. Only 1 shot so far.80 percent better. But hope for more. Have a great rhumatologist...but this was dibiltating beyond bwlief.
Same. Thought it waas due to needing rotator cuff surgery. Diagnoses yesterday with pmr got a shot. Better today still stiff if I sit down. I have Sjogrens also.
Hi there! If I'm not wrong I think the pain doesn't get worse with movement, it gets better! Doesn't it? Please someone correct me if I'm wrong :) That's what I read pretty much everywhere, it's an inflammatory pain (Worse in the morning, stiffness, improves w/ movement...), I was a little bit confused by that part of the video... Otherwise excellent material!!
I started blackseed oil- 1- teaspoon a day My stiffness, pain, and decreased my medications. Now, I feel so much better. No more stiffness, pain, my knee was swollen and painful. Now my knee is doing so much better. No stiffness, not swollen, and no pain. Inflammation is gone down so much. I am active and not in bed.
It can be a bit confusing because it is both, pain while moving and pain when you don't move. The main feature is that pain is reduced with movement, because when you are resting (specially when sleeping) your body will stop producing some anti-inflammatory compounds, and once you wake up or move your body will start producing them again, which will reduce your inflammation and you will start feeling better, but moving and exercise will eventually start producing inflammation too, which will force you to rest, and the cycle will start over. So you are essentially between a rock and a hard place.
Been on steroids 6 months. Immediate pain relief after first dose. Pain better but terrible side effects. 21 lbs fatter, fat chipmunk cheeks, massive hair loss (50% gone). Luckily, I had a thick mane of coarse hair but it is now baby fine and moults every time I wash it, so much hair on the comb, cannot see the large comb because it is covered in hair. I will go bald if I carry on taking steroids and will have to wear a wig. Do any other women have this side-effect? It affects men too.
I hope you are better! This medicine is awful! I got PMR a month ago and I got in the carnivora diet and is beginning to help me! 0 carb diet to get rid of the inflammation in the body.
Not sure I follow the question. Are you saying bc the treatment is only with steroids it is therefore not autoimmunity? I question the autoimmune classification too.
@@radar5464 Is caused by inflammation in the body and trauma. My son died last october 2023, the grief and sadness have been so great one day in Feb I woke up with PMR. I did have elevated CRP but not anymore . but the pain persist. I eat only meat and eggs and I eat once a day and I do water fast 2/3 days often ... I hear that fasting is very good for autoimmune disorders.
I was diagnosed in June last year I couldn't move a single muscle in my body first thing in the morning. My symptoms started during lock down. Steroids have been miraculous I now have a fat face but it the lesser of two evils
Hi. I use to be in bed. Fibromyalgia, ostro/RA , was on strong meds. So much pain. Spend most of my time in bed. Now , I started blackseed oil 1 teaspoon a day. Now, I’m pain free, more active, my meds have been taken away. Slowly
