My advice is not to try to reduce too fast
After a week´s trip to Athens the first week in April 2005, I felt very strange and had a dry cough. After two weeks I went to the doctor. After blood work, he couldn´t tell what was wrong but made a plan where he step by step eliminated possible diseases. After some months without a real diagnosis, I was sent to the medical department of a main hospital.
I realise that I’ve been relatively lucky
After reading the about the experiences of other PMR and GCA sufferers on your website I realise that I’ve been relatively lucky. I had my first PMR symptoms in October 2008 when weight training (I was a keen runner for about 40 years until I stopped in December 2009 and played rugby for some 24 years until 1969.
I felt puzzled when diagnosed with GCA
I felt puzzled when diagnosed with GCA. I had been feeling a bit off and suffering from intermittent headaches and toothache, but I put it down to doing too much and so ignored what was going on. The headaches became worse and every bone in my face was aching, I could not chew and wanted to pull the front of my face off.
I spent 5 days extremely cold
A week after being shocked to hear of an unprovoked assault on my son and his friends I spent 5 days extremely cold, wearing as many clothes as possible, closing all the windows and turning up the heating. My blood running cold? I am convinced that, for me, this was one of the triggers for PMR & GCA.
I suddenly started having pains in my shoulder
I suddenly started having pains in my shoulder – first one and then both. I am normally very active – do a lot of gardening, don’t drive so walk a lot. I assumed I had been doing too much heavy lifting and sprained my shoulders so went to have physiotherapy which seemed to make things worse.
PMR hit me suddenly
PMR hit me suddenly, waking up one morning full of aches and pains and flu-like symptoms. These continued along with severe stiffness in my joints.