Polymyositis & Dermatomyositis Support Group
Polymyositis (PM) is a type of chronic inflammation of the muscles (inflammatory myopathy) related to dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. The inflammation is predominantly of the endomysium in polymyositis, whereas dermatomyositis is characterized by primarily perimysial inflammation.
I came down with the red rash on my chest back in September and did not think much of it because it did not hurt or itch, was thinking I was just having an illergic reaction to something. Then two weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night and could barley move with just an intense amount of pain upper legs, back, shoulders and upper arms. It loosened up as the day went and it seemed to get a little better but by the next week I went to see my internal medicine DR. and told her that something was just not right in my muscles, she ran several blood test and found that my ck level was 2762 so off to the ruematologist where they confirmed that I have Dermatomyositis. I am very active and used to work out 5 days a week and that life is now gone for the imeadiate future. I am just trying to get my muscles going again. The one thing that I was glad for, is that I was not impacted by the rash as bad as most people on this board we’re. I could not imagine having to deal with that along with the pain and muscle degeneration. They put me on 80 mg of prednisone and thing got a lot better so they dropped it to 60mg and added 15mg methotrexate. Hopping see improvement soon. I wish everyone the best who have the illness. It is ugly.