Polymyalgia Rheumatica - Fast, Furious, Treatable

It sounds like nothing most people have ever heard of: polymyalgia rheumatica. But more than 700-thousand Americans learned about it the hard way.

“It causes sudden onset of pain and stiffness mostly in the shoulders, back of the neck, around the hips,” says Lee Memorial Health System rheumatologist Juan Bustillo.

An inflammatory condition, it’s usually found in people over 50. It’s painful and sometimes disabling.

“I’ve had patients that have gone sometimes more than a month without being diagnosed and they’ve actually come in here in a wheelchair,” says Dr. Bustillo.

Most people feel the pain in their muscles, but it is actually the joints that are involved. Doctors aren’t sure what triggers polymyalgia rheumatica although it is an autoimmune disorder. Meaning the body turns on itself. While it may be fast and furious, it is also treatable.

“The diagnosis is made when we implement the corticosteroid and we see how the patient responds. Usually the symptoms resolve within 72 hours; very quickly,” says Dr. Bustillo.

Patients stay on medications for up to a year or longer. They must be monitored for long-term affects.

“If we’re able to wean the patient off slowly and off completely without any return of symptoms, about 60% of the patients can eliminate it for good,” says Dr. Bustillo.

Some people experience a relapse and return to treatment, again with a fast turnaround.

“A lot of our patients when we diagnose them they say I’ve never heard of this. And then all of a sudden they start meeting people that they’ve had it,” says Dr. Bustillo.
If treated appropriately, there is mostly a happy ending for this friendly-fire disorder.

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

[YouTubeMaster]

I came down with this. I never took the jab.

[maryannzazado]

My physical therapist told me it might be PMR. He said before Covid he saw 2-3 cases in 15 years after Covid he saw 16 in two years. My bloodwork confirmed this. 0:02

[elisabethn]

Lyme disease and Covid I had at the same time. I went undiagnosed with Lyme for over a year. 3 years later I was still disabled and finally diagnosed with the Polymyalgia. I was being told by imbecile doctors its fibromyalgia when I knew it was something else being triggered from the Lyme. I am also 59 and advocated for myself and told the doctor what I thought it might be and I was right. My labs came back with high ESR and inflammation.

[stevemazzucaq]

Had this 7 weeks until diagnosis and treatment. Worst 7 weeks of life. Pain started at 1am got worse until 10 or 11 and be almost pain free. Would get 2 to 5 hours sleep a night because pain was so bad. Hated going to bed because of the nightmare ahead.first day on predisone from urgent care 40mg completely stopped the pain
Slept close to 9 hours first 3 nights.

[Belfreyite]

I got PMR back in November 2019.
Up till then I was an active Cyclist and Mountain Walker. I was out with a couple of mates on an easy flat ride.
I seemed to be losing coordination and my hips and particularly my shoulders hurt. My UK Doctor couldn't even diagnose the symptoms until I suggested PMR for which he instantly tested my blood.
I had four years' worth of Prednisolone with a couple of relapses, and I've just come of the last lot.
I have Arthritis in my Thumbs, shoulders and hips now and my cycling is very hard going.
I can't walk anything like I used to, and my balance is shot.
No amount of stretching, swimming and walking seems to work.
It's hard staying positive.

[tinachandler]

Dr Bustillo is a great doctor. Also Dr Baldinger is a good one too. They are really top notch

[thelaughingprophet]

Treating the symptoms not the cause. Archaic pharmaceutical approach.

[sunshine]

My husband got this 10 days after his 2nd pfizer covid-19 vaccine!

[WeLetItHappen]

I think it is autoimmune. I got it in my mid 40s i believe. Still have it its been at least 5 years. Its debilitating. What bothers me most is the weakness, feel like i can go on living anymore. I refuse to take prednisone, i have candida in lungs. Aspirin helps me a lot. I go from feeling amazing young to non function able

[jackiebassett]

I just got diagnosed with this... took some of the medication at noon time and by evening I could walk without a limp though not pain free it was alot better amazed i could walk without a limp

[rossdixon]

I went undiagnosed for nearly a full year, thought I just had tendonitis in shoulders, the pain was terrible and at its peak could hardly walk.

[peteperic]

Hi me to after the covid vacation in July 2021 was fit and active run my own business for 38 years in the u.k been going to the gym 3 time a week doing some gentle exercise had to stop now .

[madmeister]

I've had PMR since July 2021 and still have it. Due to the difficulties in getting an appointment with my GP here in England, it was months before I was diagnosed with PMR and believe me I was almost bed ridden. I couldn't bathe myself, dress myself, get out of bed without assistance and every day stuff was impossible, I had no appetite and lost 50lb's in 2 months. I was on Prednisolone for the first year but that didn't do any good, so I'm currently taking Sulphasalozine, Methotrexate and folic acid which helps enormously but the fatigue is relentless and the stiffness and pain can be soul destroying. I'm constantly attending hospital giving blood samples and to be honest I cannot see an end to it. I've been told by my consultant it can disappear as quickly as it came, but I'm not holding my breath.

[markantrobus]

I think lactate is involved in this auto immune issue.

[yvelaine]

I got this condition after the Pfizer booster .

[denisegriecomullen]

My husband got this 5 days after Moderna booster#1.

[gabrieledean]

People with PMR reversed it on the lion's diet - carnivore diet. My friends did.

[crozwayne]

This illness has pole axed me completely, symptoms started right after i had my first AZ vaccine then after the second AZ vaccine its hit me, like a double decker bus, i cant move, is there any correlation? I am in so much pain, I have experienced severe "brain fog" I run my own engineering business and I think I will have to close down as I cant work effectively anymore, I don't feel better with the Predisolone till maybe 3 pm, then I'm 90% fine. Much love and hope to all sufferers out there x

[DonTigchelaar]

My husband also got PMR after getting the Covid vaccination. Still has it after 2 years. Extremely frustrated.

[carolgill]

I have this I take prednisone 10 mg keeps the symptoms away