Now the snow has gone (hopefully for good) I want to start one of my New Year's Resolutions which is to get back to the gym. I haven't been since early July when the 'concrete overcoat' took over my life and getting our of bed was a workout in itself :x As I had suspended my membership they have kindly given me a 5 day pass so I can see if I am ready to return. The gym manager has looked up PMR and is going to come up with a suitable programme for me to start back on (I was quite impressed with his concern and interest). Has anyone else returned to the gym or some regular activity after 6 months battling with PMR and if so, how did it go and any advice? I'd also like to return to swimming. I've managed to maintain my daily walk but would like to go a bit further with my (hopeful) return to fitness.
Hi Lizzie Ellen, I'm almost 2 years into PMR and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster and I have been in and out of the Gym and Swim routine depending on how I've been. Currently I am managing swimming but not the Gym. I spoke to my Rheumy recently and asked if there was any merit in pushing through the pain when exercising i.e. would it eventually make the muscles stronger and therefore lessen the PMR pain but he said no it didn't work like that and the target should be keeping mobile but not doing too much because that would increase the pain. I am therefore sticking to the swimming for now. I'll be interested in how you get on. Best of luck
Hi Lizzie Ellen - I was told by the rheumatologist it was wrong to push things after having embarked on a long walk around Virginia Water over a year ago where I got into difficulty which pushed up the inflammation and hence the steroid dose. So do be careful .
Thanks for all the advice. I've never gone by the 'work till it hurts' theory and it sounds as though I'm on the right track there by what you all have to say. I just feel so wimpy always having been very active, very competitive and very fit. However I don't want to go backwards and make the PMR worse, its going so well at the moment, so if I find the first gentle work-out is too much I won't push it. I'll look at the links you suggested tomorrow Mrs. K and I'm beginning to think they're going to say the same thing. Don't overdo it. Oh well, looks like the gentle walks into town and maybe swimming. I absolutely don't want to do anything to bring the dreaded 'concrete overcoat' back Thanks again for all the advice. I'll keep you posted.
Thank you Mrs K - I've printed off the hand out and am so pleased to see Tai Chi included as that is my favourite 'work-out' and one which I've recommended here before as I feel I gain so much benefit from it. Can't admit to being very good at it as those little grey cells are struggling to remember the movements (the Form) each week! Thanks again for a very helpful paper. MrsO
Hi Lizzie Ellen I am very sorry to have just given up my health Club membership after 10 years I was going to an Aerobics or exercise type class up to the end of November and was doing OK I then started to get a few muscle pulls and having gone downhill since Xmas and back up to 10mg from 4mg in December I have given up We had a very good person taking us ( I used to do do Personal Training in th Gym with her when I was fit !!) and she always said do what you can When they were doing exercises with weights I wouldnt use them I would also do just a hands and knees press up instead of a full one If it was a tummy exercise when they lifted their knees up I would keep my feet flat on the floor for less strain I stretched a lot in it and had no problems with abcurls or squats I just did what I could and felt it was keeping me supple Im not up to anything yet but might try sitting on the exercise ball and do a few biceps curls or something like that As soon as I am on the up I shall be off to find a new place to swim and a Pilates class Im afraid my muscles are really getting weak even the shopping feels heavy !! Hope you find something to suit you I will read that article for some tips
I haven't been around for a few days bacause I feel so ill but my advice to you and others regarding exercise is to take it very carefully and don't overdo it. My understanding is that the steroids only mask the condition which is still active under the surface. I am not yet on steroids so have first hand experience of what effect exercise has on your body with PMR. I decided a couple of weeks ago to try and exercise through the pain and have been doing 15 minute sessions on my exercise bike and been swimming twice - including this afternoon. The result has been a significant worsening of my condition and I am sitting here in such severe pain that life barely seems worth living and depression is setting in. The danger is that if you are on steroids and overdo the exercise you won't be aware of the damage you are doing until it is too late. We are all different but my advice would be to take it one step at a time and buid up very, very slowly.
I could do with some love so please can someone assure me that there is life with PMR because I can't see it at this time. I saw my GP today and told it to her straight so she is now arranging an urgent follow up appointment with the consultant.
Can someone tell me what a \"concrete overcoat\" feels like because I am sure mine is made of lead.
You have my sympathy as I think you are in a difficult position at the moment. The good news is that you are on your way to a consultant so hang on to that.
I only have a tentative diagnosis as my blood tests were normal. I have been put on 20mg Prednisolone for two weeks and even after six days, I am much improved. Severe pain has been reduced to the odd 'Ouch' and all over ache which is a huge step forward for me and life is so much better in just a few days.
I will ask for a referral to a consultant but I know that my GP practice strive not to refer so I may have to pay!
I was really down last week but am much more optimistic now. I was determined not to take steroids but the improvement is such that I am reviewing the situation!!! LOL.
Hang in there. I am such a newby that I will leave others to give their sage advice but I can send you big hugs and say that you are not alone and that the experience of others will give you hope.
Mrs G Hi Bob Sorry to hear you are feeling so bad This thing gets you down because unless you are on steroids and everything is being masked whatever you do is wrong !! You feel you will feel better after a good nights sleep but you dont get one as every time you try to turn you wake up in pain Then when you wake up in the morning nothing is moving !! If you sit for a while its difficult to get up bending is very difficult I clearly remeber the first time I had this before I got my steroids I had a Drs apoointment and had dropped my car keys and couldnt bend to get them it was so painful I ended up sort of throwing myself on the floor screaming in pain and then having to haul myself up on a chair ( that definately felt like a complete concrete body suit ) !! Hopefully you will get to see a consultant again very soon ( I went privately as I think did Lizzie Ellen to speed things up ) The relief on 20mg of steroids was I would say 100% within 2 days for the first bout and about 90% the 2nd bout so there is light at the ned of the tunnel My doctor did say to go back to light exercise but as I have now had a setback and gone from 4mg to 15mg since Dec I have stopped it all and until my blood results say something pleasant !! I shall only be doing day to day walking I know you were very active before and it is so frustrating but if you have PMR steroids should work for you otherwise you need further investigation I send you my best wishes and hope you get some relief shortly Mrs G
Hello Bob - you said you wanted love and I do hope you can feel it coming in bucketloads from all these reassuring posts from people who so understand how you are feeling.
I can so feel your suffering, Bob, as I literally could not get out of bed for 3 months when the consultant I was under nearly 4 years ago failed to diagnose PMR. I would hate to think of someone else getting into the same situation simply because they haven't been prescribed steroids.
A couple of people have posted saying they had private consultations initially and they have said how much they benefited, so maybe you could consider going down that route - and fast - if your appointment doesn't come through in the next couple of days. I promise you will get your life back when on steroids, even if you have the odd bad day.
In spite of your suffering, you have given excellent advice re care with exercise - for me walking is and has been the most beneficial exericse with PMR, even on those really bad days when you can only do 5 minutes. Tai Chi is also excellent.
I do so hope you will be posting very soon about a positive diagnosis, a prescription and a magic recovery from the \"lead overcoat\".
I can only admit this to you because this site is anonymous but I am a 62 year old man, who everyone else looks to to solve their problems, and I have been close to tears all day. If I don't get some help soon I fear that I am going to get really depressed and I have always been such a positive person.
Mrs G - once again your description of life with PMR is spot on and describes exactly what I am going through. My arms especially are weak, painful and completely useless which is making even simple tasks impossible.
Tills - I would love to know why some of us have normal blood results when our symptoms are so similar to everyone else's. It makes it so much harder to get a diagnosis and if you have a GP like mine increases the risk of being labeled a \"hypochondriac\" instead. The only thing I am taking is Ibuprufen which I have been on for nearly 4 months now but I am only taking 600mg instead of 3 times this dose because it rots your inside. I am very interested in how you get on with your diagnosis so please keep me informed?
Time for another good nights rest and relaxation - well to about 2am if I am lucky! :roll:
Hello again Bob I am really hoping you get this Consultants appointment soon My bloods were so low with only my CRP slightly elevated when I had PMR for the first time ( rised CRP wasnt taken as so much of an indicator in those days ) and so my Dr had to refer me to a Rheumatologist to be given steroids even though she was convinced I had PMR I went privately as the waiting time was 3 months and I saw someone in a few days and even after all the blood tests I was on steroids in less than a week and skipping around and hyperactive as thats how going straight to 20 mg makes me !! I found no relief with Ibrofen I was taking max ibrofen and paracetamols I had to get them all out in the morning as I was feeling so bad I didnt trust myself to remember what I had taken as my brain felt addled with pain We are almost the same age but I was 54 when I got it first and then it was really looked at as someone over 60 was most likely to have it I am also one of the world \"organisers \" but since I have had this I have found that stress really effects me badley so I am going to take a bit of a back seat with looking after others and be a bit of a me me me for a change to get over this On a positive note I went up to 15mg on Sunday and today felt good when I woke up instead of nothing kicking in till lunchtime I now wish I hadnt had such a mental block with increasing the steroids and had done it before I am very fortunate ith my GP and wish she could be cloned !! but keep fighting Bob you will get there
Oh how I do sympathise - I too am new to this PMR malarky and am not impressed ! Terrible 'fever type' sweating during the night, impossible to turn over without being in great pain, hips hurt, neck almost impossible to move without great pain. At least logging on to this site you know you are not alone and that there is help - albeit in the form of Steroids which I am not happy about taking but it does give relief, so it seems we have no choice.
I did ask the Doc. if I could continue going to the gym and he said yes, but I'm wondering if this has been the start of it all (although I did feel fit). Being a (just) 60 yr. old female and felt in relatively good health it has been such a blow. But you have to keep going. It's apparently more prevalent in women than in men so you are just one of the 'unlucky' ones. Keep logging on and try to keep your chin up. Siouxie
Sorry to hear you're all aches and pains but it does get better with steroids. I think we all have a love/hate relationship with them but I just try to think how lucky we are to have something that brings such relief and not look on them as the enemy. I'm in the throws of reducing my Prednisolone. Dropped to 12.5mgs on the 1st Jan and will be going down to 11mgs on the 1st February. I'm going to attempt to go back to the gym on Monday. I haven't been since July due to PMR and a knee operation so will be taking it very carefully. I'm 63 and like you, felt very fit, going to the gym 3 times a week and feeling quite smug. Then wham :!: PMR decided to pay me a visit. However, I feel I'm getting on quite well so will give the gym a go. They've given me a free week's pass to see how I get on before I rejoin and they've looked up PMR and steroids on the internet before coming up with a new programme for me, so we'll see how it goes. I won't be going mad, I understand its easy to tear muscles when you're on steroids so will take things slowly to start with (I so hate being a wimp but I don't want to aggrevate the PMR now its subsiding a bit). Hope you will soon be pain free and getting back to some sort of normality.
My heart goes out to you. I was undiagnosed for about two months before my GP diagnosed me. The only blood levels which were up were my ESr which were not raised very much. I too was in great pain and felt quite depressed this is not only because you are in such pain it is part of the condition, which depression is made worse when you think everone else thinks you are mad. A good friend of before I was diagnosed suggested that perhaps I needed anti depresants I was not amused. Yes I was depressed I was in constant pain and no one would believe me not even my nearest and dearest. Eventually after going to the doctors and breaking down did they eventually put me on 20 mg steroids which within 24 hours gave me almost complete relief. That was almost two years ago I am alot better now and am trying to reduce from 5mg down.
I send you loads and loads of love keep your chin up it will get sorted and lets hope your GP never suffers with PMR with a doctor such as themselves, things are not always text book.
Well, I didn't make it back to the gym :!: The brain was willing but the body wasn't quite ready. I've heard so many times on this site, listen to your body and mine was quite clearly saying 'don't go back to the gym yet'. I had made an appointment for today, but my energy levels have been a bit low for the last few days, so, coupled with a further reduction in the Prednisolone starting today, I decided it wasn't wise. Reluctently I cancelled the appointment but I don't think I'll regret it - I'm learning not to push myself and to be satisfied with my progress. Basically, I'm trying to be sensible, not something my children or grandchildren would recognise as one of my best attributes!! But onward and upward The gym will still be there when I'm ready. I think the cold contributes to the feeling of weariness, its hard enough to be energetic in the winter when you're completely well, so it stands to reason that we'll be hit a bit harder by the cold. Spring's around the corner - can't wait. All the best to everyone.
Dear Lizzie Ellen, What a wise decision, we can all learn from that. I am always THINKING I will tackle this and that, conquer PMR - but that's my brain talking, NOT my body, if you see the difference. Still it must be a bit of a disappointment. I did something not too dissimilar on Saturday.Got excited by seeing that strange light up in the sky, took a bus into town (which meant standing in some minus temperature), shopped (which meant carrying 2 heavy bags), came home pleased to get out and get some sun and fresh air, but boy, did I pay for it yesterday, one of the worst days for quite a while. Finished up weeping all over husband who was very surprised - I think I've beendoing too much of the stiff upper lip lately!
Your time will come Lizzie, I just hope it's not too long for your sake.
Thanks for that Green Granny. Sorry your excursion caused you so much grief on Saturday I did something very similar, saw the sunshine, decided I would walk into Town with my partner (who's younger and healthier!) and walked too fast (easy to forget the PMR when you're feeling OK). Got into a shop and suddenly ran out of every ounce of energy. Just wanted to lay down in the middle of the shop, curl up and go to sleep. It was so tempting. My partner took one look at me and got me home quickly. I think this was what finally made me cancel my gym appointment. Having a restful day today and feeling more human. I haven't had a weepy day for a while but I think we all deserve one every so often :!: I do hope you're feeling better today.
