I am having surgery on Tuesday 2/16. My surgeon required me to taper off of prednisone and now I am in so much PAIN. I have excruciating pain in my legs, hips and lower back. I guess I will have to talk to my surgeon about it when I get to the hospital to find out if it is a good idea to add pain upon pain.

Thank you so much for this post. I have Lupus and Fibromyalgia and deal with a lot of pain. In the last month and a half I have started having severe pain in my shoulders. I was looking up your disease and when I did I realized those are my exact symptoms. I am waiting until after my surgery to see a new rheumatologist but at least I have something to ask about. As you are very aware, these diseases lead to a lot of guessing and I just want answers about what is going on. Would you mind telling me your symptoms and how it was diagnosed. I am not on prednisone but I am sure I will be taking pain meds up until the surgery unless they tell me to get off of them.

Hello Mdawncooper, I am sorry for my delayed response! So, I almost didn't go through with the surgery because I was afraid the PMR flare pain would be too much on top of the sleeve recovery pain... The surgeon convinced me to go through with it and said that a week post op I could resume prednisone if needed. Well here's the miracle: severe bi-lateral leg pain is gone! It could have just been the prednisone withdrawal symptoms rather than a flare; but I am so happy to be on the other side of this surgery and OFF prednisone! The Doc told me they give all patients a dose of steroids in the O.R., so that could have helped as well.

The tell-tale symptoms are bi-lateral pain (rather than one side only). The only way diagnosis can be confirmed is to try Prednisone. If the pain resolves within three days or less after beginning prednisone, then you know you have PMR. My pain was in my legs and lower back ; rather than in the shoulders and neck where it is more common. The prednisone worked and I felt great (but also gained weight).

I am am hopeful that my symptoms will not return and when I have my C-reactive Protein levels tested that they are lower. It is so nice to be certain that I will lose weight and feel better as a result! Down 34 lbs. since I began this process in late November!