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For months I shuffled like an old man - but an hour after taking a steroid I was reborn

At 78, I'm a reasonably athletic person - gym three times a week, tennis most Sundays, and a fair amount of walking in the city and countryside. I keep to a good diet, too, and I don't smoke or drink a lot of alcohol.

So when, two years ago, I suddenly couldn't hit a tennis ball without pain in my left arm, I didn't understand it. My GP couldn't explain it either and gave me no treatment.

A year later the pain mysteriously went away and I resumed tennis. But a few weeks later, it suddenly returned in my right arm. Over the next few weeks my knees started to hurt too. Then I had pains in my upper arms and right shoulder.

A blood test by my GP showed nothing. I…

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 ‘I could barely walk and nearly lost my sight – then a drug trial saved my life’

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Articles of Interest

Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica: 2016 Update

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are both more common among people of North European decent than among Mediterranean people. Women are 2-3 times more commonly affected. Giant cell arteritis and PMR are extremely rare before age 50 years.

Polymyalgia rheumatica: diagnosis, treatment & recovery

So stiff you can hardly get out of bed? You could be suffering from the common complaint few of us have ever heard of – polymyalgia rheumatica.

Polymyalgia rheumatica: Look before you leap

Before making a diagnosis, other conditions which can mimic polymyalgia rheumatica should be ruled out, and most importantly, the patient should be assessed for co-existing giant cell arteritis.

Strange bedfellows: Polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis

Two related inflammatory conditions affect different parts of the body. After age 50, you can expect a little joint stiffness or muscle soreness the morning after a challenging workout or some heavy yard work. Usually, a hot shower, massage, or good night's rest will put things right. But for women with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), those common remedies aren't enough. PMR isn't a life-threatening condition, but it can severely limit your daily activities and take a heavy toll on your sleep and well-being. PMR can come on gradually over days or weeks or may appear suddenly. You may feel fine one day and terrible the next. PMR is closely related to a potentially more serious condition called temporal arteritis,

The spectrum of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: revisiting the concept of the disease

GCA and PMR are conditions of older persons that frequently overlap. The traditional concept of GCA has focused on cranial symptoms such as headache and visual disturbance, but extra-cranial manifestations such as constitutional symptoms, polymyalgia and limb claudication have also long been recognized.

Resources

3 Strategies for Coping with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

If you have been diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and are looking for ways to decrease pain without taking additional medication, you have a few options.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis UK

PMRGCAuk is the national charity to raise awareness, promote research, and provide support for people with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Write Me Funny - Ramblings on The Lighter Side

In this book, you can learn about where my PMR Journey started and how I became involved in the PMRGCA community, and the chapters introduce you to various fictional characters and scenarios which I hope will bring you some fun and laughter.

Arthritis Foundation

With treatment, PMR symptoms usually lessen or go away within days. Without treatment, they may go away after a year but could take up to five years or more. Proper nutrition, activity, rest and following medication regimens are important for managing the condition. Once stiffness goes away, a person can return to daily activities, including exercise, as tolerated.

Rheumatology Adviser

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is typically described as pain and stiffness in the hips and shoulders. PMR is a disease of older adults; the mean age of onset is 70 years, and it almost never occurs in patients younger than 50 years.

Rheumatology.org

Polymyalgia rheumatica (sometimes referred to as PMR) is a common cause of widespread aching and stiffness that affects adults over the age of 50, especially Caucasians. Because polymyalgia rheumatica does not often cause swollen joints, it may be hard to recognize. It may occur with another health problem, giant cell arteritis. The average age when symptoms start is 70, so people who have PMR may be in their 80s or even older. The disease affects women somewhat more often than men. It is more frequent in whites than nonwhites, but all races can get PMR.

Vasculitis Foundation

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a rare inflammatory disease that affects older adults, causing widespread muscle pain and stiffness, especially around the shoulders and hips. Most people who develop PMR are in their 60s or 70s. PMR is closely linked with giant cell arteritis (GCA), a type of vasculitis characterized by inflammation of the arteries in the head and temples, resulting in headaches and vision problems.

Harvard Health

It sounds like a new threat to health, but it was first diagnosed in 1888 as "senile rheumatic gout." It sounds rare, even exotic, but it's actually quite common. It sounds serious, even ferocious, but it responds beautifully to proper treatment. It's polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), a painful, sometimes disabling condition that can be associated with giant cell arteritis (GCA), a disease that is much less common but much more serious. Despite all the things that can mimic PMR and the lack of a specific diagnostic test, PMR is usually not difficult to diagnose — providing a doctor thinks of it.

US Pharmacist

PMR is a complicated disease with many complex symptoms. An accurate diagnosis must exclude many other potential diseases. Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) are considered the treatment of choice. Patients have an excellent prognosis, although exacerbations may occur if steroids are tapered too rapidly, and relapse is common.