Patty Spencer
I thought I'd never see the end of PMR, or ever again have a day when I didn't ache! I don't know if the PMR has run its course, or if the meds have finally relieved the symptoms to the point where I am actually "functional" again, most days. Recently I changed family Drs, & also finally got approval to see a Rheumatologist, after months of begging the insurance company. (Both Drs doubt the PMR diagnosis, as they say that at 54 I'm too far off the low end of the scale for the age range of confirmed PMR.) Although being off Prednisone at the time of my 1st visit to the specialist, I ached to the point of tears yet my Sed rate was only 17! The Dr started me on 50MG Ultram® (a centrally-acting analgesic that regulates the levels of serotonin released by the body, which controls transmission of nerve impulses), which I take "as needed" up to 3X per day, & it seems to be more effective so far, than the other meds I've tried, & the nice thing is that it's non-narcotic, & doesn’t chew up the GI system like anti-inflammatories do, so we don’t have to be concerned about taking it long term. I am however, taking 440MG Naproxin (Aleve®) once per day, (twice if needed, but most days I only take it once). Resigned to having to live with this condition (whether it's PMR or something else), my goal became eliminating Prednisone altogether, as it compromises the immune system so drastically & I choose not to have my chemistry so altered. I'm getting by w/less Prednisone as time goes by (5MG right now) & hope to be off it completely in a month or so. So, I've made some progress even though this relief may be due to the condition having run its course for now, rather than because of the medications. I'm having more good days than bad days & I'm so thankful for that much! I'd never been so very sick for so very long, & I vividly recall not being able to remember what it was like to move without pain. I should mention also that I have been exercising, which has been extremely difficult some days, but is so vital to muscle tone & to the stimulation of the body’s own healing hormones which are released during exercise. My heart goes out to you all, as you battle this unforgiving condition ...hang in there & be your body's best friend, even though it doesn't seem like it's being very kind to you at the moment. (It's suffering too!)