My 79 year old Mom was recently diagnosed with having Polymyalgia.

Her doctor put her on steriods.......

Any suggestions on how to help her with this condition?

Thank you!

D

Hi DebraJeane,

Since it's an inflammatory condition, you can also google: inflammation foods for various lists of foods & diets that help inflammation. Run them by your mom's doctor in case there are any interaction concerns with other conditions or meds she has.

There is much more information here:
http://www.rheumatology.org/practice...rheumatica.asp
and by googling: polymyalgia rheumatica

If symptoms of headache, changes in vision, fever, other flu-like symptoms, or weight loss develop, contact her doctor immediately. There is an associated condition called Giant Cell Arteritis:
http://www.rheumatology.org/practice...larteritis.asp

The steroids should have her feeling much better within a few weeks, and Polymyalgia Rheumatica can be temporary. Knowledge is the best armament for her and you.

Best wishes,

Doc

I have one comment to make.

A common medication used today, can cause muscle aching and elevated CPK levels. The family of statins, which are given to lower cholesterol are prime causers of muscle pain. So make sure your Mom is not taking any of these drugs. Steroid use in the elderly is tricky and can raise blood pressure, blood sugar and thin the bones. So if something is causing this muscle condition,
and can be eliminated, the steroids may not have to be used.
In the elderly the lowest dose possible is the target. Often it can be given every other day, to avoid the serious potential side effects.

Durring his later years, my father was misdiagnosed with dementia by a house doctor in a private total care facility. This dx. was made w/o testing by a man who tended to give any elderly person who was a bit quirky as having some form of dementia. I wasn't buying it, called in his internal medicine doctor and met him at the facility for the exam. He took one look at Dad's med list, discontinued the steroid and asked me to call him in one week to discuss any changes. By that time, the worisome symptoms were gone.