Polymyalgia symptoms and conditions

I have polymyalgia and the rheumatologist put me on 15 mg prednisone a day for one month then 12 1/2 mg 2 weeks then 10 for two weeks and now 7 1/2 for a month then down to 5 mg next month til next doctor visit. The only side effect I feel I am experiencing is not being able to loss weight. I have not gained any in the 3 month on the meds, but have been really watching my weight and can't seem to lose any. I do at times get a hot flash, not at night but in the daytime, but compared to the pain and stiffness from the polymyalgia.. I'm a happy camper. Before I couldn't get in or out of the tub or car the pain was so bad! Mornings were unbearable. I am 150 pound 54 year old female.
Does anyone else feel good about this drug and have had success with it. My doctor wants me off it in a year.

my grandmother started prednisone the day after the fourth of july and that Sunday in the car she thought the radio was on, but when she went to turn it off it was off, she hears joy to the world all the time. Sometimes its louder than others but its always there. She started out on 40 mg a day for polymyalgia, now she is being tapered off of it but her doctor says shes not a typical patient and there is no way the prednisone triggered it. I think it has to be it cause it happened about three days after she started taking it. Anyone know anything about this kinda thing happening?******

I have had a severe case of polymyalgia rheumatica and was initially put on 60 mg of prednisone a day. It was wonderful! Within hours my pain level dropped almost in half. From there the pain has gradually improved even more. I went to 40 mg per day to 20 mg per day to 15 mg per day. Have been on the 15 mg for 2 months now and want off as soon as possible. Yes, I too have the moon face, camel hump, slight weight gain, nausea, digestive problems, cramps, depression, etc. Not fun! My question is - does anyone experience burning/stinging in their face, arms and legs from the prednisone? I wonder if it is the polymyalgia rheumatica or if this is a side effect from the steroid. Thanks for your comments.

This is not my experience but my mothers; She's been taking this poison for 8 years. Her doctor finally(though her bagering) has her at 5 mgs. a day but it's already too late, her spine has had disc fractures to the point where she is completely hunched over, when she first started the drug she had normal bone density. Now her doc wants her sed rate to be 19 before he even considers taking her off the drug, which is ridiculous since I read that most women over 50 average s hard. My brother and I help with some shopping and things but both of us have other obligations(he works full-time; I have husband and two kids) so my dad has alot on his plate.

Prednisone destroys the body, eventually, and sometimes it makes the original condition look like a cakewalk.

I started with 60 mg per day for polymyalgia rheumatica and now after two years have weaned myself down to 5 mg per day. I have a side effect that I have not read anyone else having. It has effected my taste buds. Many foods that I loved in the past, have a foreign taste to me. I am 66, male and have tried to drop down to 2 1/2 mg but the pain is too intense to remain at that level, so had to return to 5 mg. I have lots of pain in the feet and especially toes. I can tell that I am getting better and am very anxious to get off of Prednisone.

High blood sugar, moon face. I started with 24mg and now am on 12, still no change in moon face, but my polymyalgia rheaumatica is markedly worse on the lower dose. When does the moon face go away, I've been on it for 6 weeks? Any advise or treatment that might work?

After taking Lipitor 10mg for 14 months with no effects till Sept 2005- i now have knee swelling and thigh muscular aches when standing for any length of time, and since mid- Nov, have had very sore hips and muscle aches in that area, plus general stiffness after sitting for a while. Am now having sleeping problems as i have lower back pain which has come on in the last 2 weeks. I went to a liver specialist as the count was up, but apart from asking about my reaction to Lipitor,didn't suggest this as a posibility. I am to see an arthritis specialist on feb 6 th. I was in Europe for 3 months from Jun to Aug and walked everwhere and did lots of stairs! Now I get a lot of pain if I walk only minor distances. I;ve been told it could be a virus or polyarthritis or polymyalgia-but noone is sure. Should i go off the statins? It seems from your letters that it is impossible to tell if it is Lipitor causing these symptoms as the recovery period varies so greatly with each person. I have a family history of heart disease- do i try something else to lower the cholesterol? Meryl- Sydney

I have been on prednisone, from 30mg to 10mg daily since November for polymyalgia rhuematic, fibro, and inflamatory arthritis. I can move again, but am now gaining weight, have hair falling out, and lots of nervousness. Have gone on xanax which has helped. Mood swings varies. Lots of depression because you don't know if you are really getting better or not.One day you can be at the top, next day, down at bottom. Good luck to all those on this drug. We need it.

I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia 6 months ago. Started out with 10mg of prednisone and increased to 20mg. After 6 months I am down to 5mg more a result of fear of predisone effects than relief from pain and stiffness. My negatives have been 35 lb weight gain, difficulty sleeping for long periods of time, fatigue and just recently an unsatisfactory elevation in blood pressure. I am willing to "put-up" with discomfort and pain rather than take predisone. Anyone with PMR that has found alternative treatments to predisone please contact me. Would also like to interact with others who have PMR. thanks,