polymyalgia rheumatica

Sue66
Sue66 Member Posts: 3
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:06 in Living with arthritis

Hi there, my GP would like to start me on steroids to see if it will ease my symptoms, I just wonder if anyone knows of an alternative to steroids for the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica. I am worried about the side effects of steroids.

Comments

  • Tom
    Tom Member Posts: 522

    Hello @Sue66 and welcome to the forum.

    I see that you have been given a diagnosis of PMR and are concerned at the possible side effects. Here is a link to information on our website:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/polymyalgia-rheumatica-pmr/


    On a personal note, I was also treated with Prednisolone which both worked and seemingly by following the GP's advice on tapering the dose to a low level, avoided the side effects.

    Food luck and do let us know how you get on.

    Tom

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    My sister has been on steroids for PMR for about a year now, but has recently switched to methotrexate. Give the steroids a try, as I gather this is the first and best treatment, but if you really can’t get on with it you will need to review it with your GP.

  • Sue66
    Sue66 Member Posts: 3

    Thankyou for your responses, Ive been on them for a week and feel back to normal, so hoping the reducing dose of steroids will work for me. Its good to get information straight from the people who have been through it. Thanks again.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    That’s great to hear.do take them as the doc orders, it’s a long term treatment to see off the PMR for good.

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    My daughter-in-law was diagnosed with PMR about 3 years ago. She's always been a very active person and found the fatigue of PMR difficult but took the steroids and, althou gh she reduced them more slowly than initially advised (though liaising throughout with her GP) she managed to continue fairly long walks and cycle rides.

    She's still on about 2 per day. The hardest bit with steroids comes at about 5 or 6 per day and sometimes, then, we have to taper the dose even more slowly. She's already been, recently, prescribed alendronic acid to counteract the potential bone damage from the steroids though, as she's managed to stay so active, this will be less than many.

    I hope yours goes well too.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
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