Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy

I had a similar experience, but a better rheumatologist, who quickly diagnosed PMR. Even though my blood work wasn't as bad as is typical of PMR, my sed rate was quite high. She put me on a year's prednisone program, gradually tapering down to 1mg from 30. That was about 2 years ago and it hasn't come back. My symptoms were identical to yours. I felt great all the way through my taper.

That your prednisone fixed you right up is considered diagnostic of PMR. The fact that we both discontinued our statin(s), can be seen as a confounding factor. There's a study out there somewhere which found that out of a hospital population of PMR sufferers, there were more statin-takers than statistics suggested. I don't see the benefit to you of starting and stopping the prednisone instead of following the usual prescribed taper. You could look at a second opinion or ask that question of your current rheumatologist.

Oddly enough, a fellow cyclist in his early 60s came down with PMR soon after I did. He was not on a statin and PMR is unusual in people that young. So I wonder about stress on the adrenals which cycling might cause. He and I both ride a lot, and hard. His rheumotologist also prescribed a taper, but of only 6 months.

My understanding is that PMR is essentially a lack of a corticosteroid which is necessary for recovery. The replacement by an exogenous corticosteroid somehow kick starts the production again, though the mechanism of that is unknown and counterintuitive.