Polymalgia Rheumatica

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I have just been diagnosed with polymalgia rheumatica an autoimmune disease.
It came on really suddenly,I got out of bed about five weeks ago and had this really bad stiffness in my thighs.This went on for a few weeks in which the stiffness/ache spread to my upper arms.
I got a phone consultation with a health worker who just said they were muscle aches and try ibuprofen.This eased the aches and a couple of days later went on a 42 mile bike ride(Big Mistake!).The next day my whole body was absolutely stiff and aching.
Anyway to cut a long story short after blood tests I was diagnosed with this disease and today I started a course of steroids.
I know it mostly effects older people(me) but has anyone else had/got this?

 

[oldwheels]

I have had this.
When a consultant asked what it felt like before full diagnosis my reply was to that it felt like I had trained to cycle 20 miles but actually did 100. I hurt allover and legs and back in particular. Not nice.
Cannot remember what drugs I was on as I was only a youngster then in my 60s but I do not remember steroids which may be a newer treatment. I do remember that they could have very nasty side effects which I did not get fortunately. Took quite a long time to go away but it did eventually clear up. Perhaps up to a year but it was over 20 years ago so memory does not reach so far back. I probably have some correspondence somewhere but since I am not currently at home I cannot access this.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Thanks for the reply @oldwheels
Those steroids are called Prednisolone and i think they are the drugs that are used mostly now for this condition.
Night time and early morning are the worse times when you can't even bend down to tie up your shoe laces.
I have been going out for walks for exercise but hopefully it will get better and i'll be back on the bike.

 

[oldwheels]

Thanks for the reply @oldwheels
Those steroids are called Prednisolone and i think they are the drugs that are used mostly now for this condition.
Night time and early morning are the worse times when you can't even bend down to tie up your shoe laces.
I have been going out for walks for exercise but hopefully it will get better and i'll be back on the bike.

Now that you mention it Prednisolone sounds familiar so I was wrong on the no steroid comment.
It should get better but it is a longish haul.

 

[MrGrumpy]

My mother was blighted by this in 2020 , she’s 83 . Quite debilitating and really got her down whilst they sorted out the meds. She’s still on steroids but they gradually reduce them to minimum . Apparently it can just go away . I’m convinced it came on with stress after my father died end of 2019 , took till end of 2020 to get a proper diagnosis . She has good days and bad days . However much improved than initially.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

@MrGrumpy Glad to hear your mother is improving
That did seem quite a long time to get her diagnosis compared to mine.
When i spoke to my doctor over the phone she straightaway knew what was causing my symptoms.She got me in the same day for blood tests even though it was Christmas Eve and a week later she had the results.
My wife who was a nursing sister before she retired said she worked with a couple of colleagues who had this condition and they got over it quite quickly with treatment so i'll go with those positives.

 

[MrGrumpy]

@MrGrumpy Glad to hear your mother is improving
That did seem quite a long time to get her diagnosis compared to mine.
When i spoke to my doctor over the phone she straightaway knew what was causing my symptoms.She got me in the same day for blood tests even though it was Christmas Eve and a week later she had the results.
My wife who was a nursing sister before she retired said she worked with a couple of colleagues who had this condition and they got over it quite quickly with treatment so i'll go with those positives.

Bare in mind it was lockdown for most of 2020 , so things were slow to start, and it steadily got worse before seeking help .

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Bare in mind it was lockdown for most of 2020 , so things were slow to start, and it steadily got worse before seeking help .

Yes that's true.