Re: polymyalgia

[Guest guest]

Is this polymyalgia rhuematica? (pmr)

A good friend suddenly contracted it about 7

years ago. Sudden onset, and kinda scary.

After going from doc to doc for a few months, while

his muscle strength deteriorated (his wife had to drive

him back and forth to work after onset), he got lucky:

some doc dx.ed it correctly, next, put him on steroids

(prednisone, not sure what dose, assuming around 15-20mg, tapered

off gradually over a year)

and told him he will get well in about one year. My friend

stayed on the med, and became perfectly fine in a year,

and fine till today!

Differential diag. is very tough, among all the muscle problems

(I have polymyositis, much more severe and potential long-term

issue).

Best to get regular medical treatment started soon.

Here are some temp. reliefs

for muscle pain, I should know, after 5 years:

castor-oil packs

Epsom Salt baths

Magnesium oil

Apples/Apple Juice/Malic Acid to reduce muscle damage

NSAIDS

acupressure massage

massage (all types)

acupuncture treatment

cold packs or warm packs (latter not for too long, could worsen pain)

v. light movements (no hard ex. please!)

Take Mg 500mg, Zinc 50-100mg, buffered Vit C 2000mg-8000m all in

divides doses (all of the above, could cause diarrhea/runs otherwise)

Best Wishes, Best of Luck; Hope he too gets well soon,

and you/he write back here in a few months, and say,

" there is such as a thing as divine grace " .

/Nara

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> Anybody out there who has experience with polymyalgia? What can you tell me

> about it? Friend has just been dx & in a lot of pain.

> Barbara Lochner

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