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.

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amberhere 08/27/2015

Hi all, I have not been on this site for a while due to my lovely son and his fiancee having a beautiful baby girl! Time has just whizzed by! On to the tapering - I'm now at 2mg Prednisolone - I'm finding it a bit hard - getting slightly more pain in my hands and arms and knees - I know that the steroid can give withdrawal symptoms and sometimes in the morning which is the worst - I would give anything to have 10mg of steroid to help take the pain away. So, like many of us, I am gritting my teeth and carrying on. Still on 20.5mg MTX and the Plaquenil but hoping to not take the Plaquenil soon as not too happy on the side effects it can have on the eyesight. although I do have regular eye checks. Last time I went to the eye clinic, they said my eyesight was a lot better!! I strongly believe that the steroid which was at the time 5mg was causing high pressure in my right eye. Onwards and upwards! Next time I am hoping to report I am no longer on the steroid! Best wishes to all. Amber

autumm 08/27/2015

Hi Amber. Congratulations on the birth of your new Granchild. A long and happy life to her. My eyes were terrible on the steriod so no surprise yours are better as it gets out of the system. I seem to remember pains in my small joints in my hands as I lowered the steriod, I found hand exercises on Google from the Mayo clinic, I did them and they helped a lot. Well done on the taper, what a difference time makes. So pleased and delighted for you Amber, onwards and upwards, you are getting there. Best wishes. Autumm

nanny1611 08/27/2015

So glad to hear from you again, Amber. As Autumm said, Congratulations on the birth of your new granddaughter. It's good to hear that doctors are helping to taper you off the medication. I trust that you will continue the good progress. I, too, had to battle through some issues as I came off the prednisone, but with time things did stabilize. Best wishes to you, and glad to read your update.

trpt1 08/27/2015

Hi Amberhere, Great news on the baby girl! Congratulations! I know the new child will be a lot of fun. It is also good to hear that your eyesight is doing better. Good luck on the taper. We are keeping our fingers crossed for your getting off the steroid.

Things are looking up! Keep us posted.

sammyw 08/28/2015

Hi Amber. Nice to hear from you. Great news on the tapering! Keep moving onwards and upwards. Congratulations also on the birth of your granddaughter! A cuddle with her is good therapy I bet Take care and enjoy this sweet time.

Michaelvi 08/29/2015

Hi amber congratulations on the birth of your new Grandchild.
I remember myself tempering, My whole body was in pain every time I reduce the prednisone. To ease the pain I tampered the 3 mg of prednisone that remain by 0.5mg every 2month .
I was 7 years on Prednisone I am now 12 month without Prednisone.

autumm 08/29/2015

Hi Michael. So good to have news of you. You helped me so much at diagnosis and doing my taper. Am well and stable, do all I did before. Off all Steriods since December 2013. Last visit my Rheumatologist said that on my next visit he may start to reduce the Imuran. It's good when recovering people post, it tells people still getting there that there is life after Myositis. Best wishes to you Michael. I will always remember your support. Autumm

amberhere 08/29/2015

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your congratulations and as usual great support. I am so pleased to have found this site the other year and truly believe it has been my lifeline at times of feeling as low as you can get. I am now concentrating on my new grandchild and determined to get through this DM - as I have always said - I will not let it beat me. Take care everyone - Amber

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