I called my Dr's office this morning rather than wait until THURSDAY when I have my follow up Dr. appt to review my test results. Over the weekend my symptoms got worse; now I can barely use my left arm or hand. It seems to be worse on my left side. Anyway 4 hours later they called me back, and another Dr reviewed my results. X Rays of hips and shoulders normal, but blood work indicates PMR. A prescription for 20mg Predisone has been called in and my huasband is out picking it up now. I am praying it will start to work quickly. I can no longer get in and out of the car to drive, and BARELY, just barely can get on and off the toliet. I am happy though to finally know what is wrong with me.
Fingers crossed it works - normally you should take it as early as possible in the morning but the day I got my first lot of tablets I took them late morning. By the middle of the afternoon the difference was unbelievable. I don't know where you are in the US but maybe it is still early enough to try a dose.
I didn't wait. I took my first dose at 3 pm. I spent the next few days taking pred a couple of hours earlier each day until I got to breakfast time. I felt better by about 7 pm that first day. And I slept very well because I was not in so much pain.
Manniki, I am sure by tomorrow you will be a new person. Getting off the toilet was a real feat by dragging myself up on various things sticking out of the wall. Also driving was a no no. Just think, next week things should be very different if it is PMR.
Actually there is no real reason to be so good! You could take the same dose the next morning without any problem.
I was once visiting friends and there was absolutely nothing to hang on to near the toilet. I had to call for help (and it was a big house!). Most embarrassing - we're still good friends though!😄😄
I came close to pulling the washbasin off the wall - luckily it was opposite the loo...
Like others manikki, I took my first dose as soon as I got it which was in the early afternoon. The next morning I could not believe I was the same person, bounced out of bed as if I were a teenager, pain free. Fingers, eyes and toes crossed for you.
Eyes too?? Interesting!!
But while we're here - just because you bounce out of bed feeling normal it does NOT mean you can go back and do all the things you haven't been able to do for the last few weeks!
Pred manages the symptoms - it does nothing to change the illness! Your muscles are still intolerant of exercise - so take it easy! Otherwise you'll be back in a couple of days to say either the pred doesn't work or it worked but now you feel as bad as ever.
Well, I didn't know that then. Worked out well for me anyway.
Yeah, why not, you deserve everything to be crossed.
Which is all that matters!
Which I learned pretty quickly Eileen. Pacing is important, not easy if you react to pred as I do, bouncy bouncy all the time. But in saying that I at least have a choice in that I can make myself stop. I really feel for those who suffer the fatigue.
I will take it easy for awhile even if I feel "great" tomorrow. I am STILL waiting for that script....snafu with the Dr office/ pharmacy. I am on the East coast of the US, and it will be 5:30PM before I get the meds......but I will be taking one anyway. Prednisone 20mg.....and hope to God it starts working by late tonight...I CANNOT go through another night of agony and trying to sleep in pain. Thank you all for your advice and supprt.....I will check in tomorrow after my first dose of meds. I don't have the overwhelming fatigue that some have. Have had a low grade fever, and some "unwell" feelings....but not bad fatigue....just the pain everywhere. Is it common for it to be worse on one side of the body than the other? My left arm and hand are so weak as to be almost useless at the moment. I wouldn't trust a hot cup of coffee in that hand. And my left hip and left wrist and shoulder are wrose than the right too.
I felt fluey, as well as the awful pain. I am not sure one side was worse than the other, both were so awful anyway. I used to find my hand shaking picking up a glass of water.
I hope the pred works quickly, it can take a day or two sometimes, although you may be lucky and it will happen more quickly.
I had one sided pain, shoulder, hip and back for a while and then it seemed to be everywhere and then came the pred...bliss. We're all different. That's why this forum is such a great place for support. Hope those meds arrive soon.
It's only been 2 hours since I took the pred, and maybe it's just my "mind", but I feel a bit less pain already. Hopefully I can at least sleep longer than an hour at a time tonight. I am HOPEFUL !!!!!!
By tomorrow morning you should be leaping out of bed!
we all wait, hopefully, for your positive reaction to the pred. Please keep us advised: we will have a sympathetic endorphin release hearing the good news, and remembering our own miraculous response. Good luck!!