I was recently diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica and stopped the medicine, prednisone. I have noticed continued hair loss, fatigue, and painful shoulders. Do you have recommendations on how to help my symptoms other than medicating with over the counter pain relievers like Tylenol?
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an auto-immune condition which is classically associated with shoulder and hip pain. As such, it is a chronic pain condition in which you may notice ongoing pain located in these areas. You may take over the counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen in addition to other treatments recommended by your rheumatologist.
Hair loss can have many causes including:
- nutritional deficiencies
- anemia
The following three things can help with hair loss:
- Eating a well-balanced diet
- Over-the-counter biotin
- Nizoral hair shampoo
It is important to see a physician for further evaluation regarding your hair loss, and I recommend that you follow-up with a rheumatologist for your polymyalgia rheumatica as this is a chronic condition which requires ongoing treatment.
All my best,
Speaking of Women’s Health nurse
January 14, 2016 at 5:11pm