Well, a moment of clarity hit me last night. Just before bedtime I recollected that on the morning of my surgery that the anesthesia doc told me that they were going to give me some steroids during the operation. Hadn't remembered it till late last evening. I guess that's why they say not to make important/legal decisions or to operate a car or other machinery for at least 24 hours after being under anesthesia. The ol' noggin doesn't work right! :lol:
And the steroid during surgery is likely why I was feeling better with no aches and pains yesterday. I'd only taken the one pain pill in the morning, yet I'd felt good all day. Still pretty good this morning. The steroid slowly wears off over a few days. If I'm very, very lucky, maybe my adrenal glands will "reset" after the steroid help during the surgery and start working normally and producing cortisol again.
So I'll know more over the next couple of days. If the heavy pain gradually returns, it means that it was the steroid that helped and as it wears off, the symptoms come back. And if that happens, it means that I probably do have
Polymyalgic Rheumatica which is a corollary condition with the GCA that I've had for the last couple of years.
If I do have PMR, I'll have to go back on the steroids for treatment. Although I'm not supposed to be on them for at least a month prior to my next surgery, which is less than 2 months away. The ol' Catch-22 situation. Might try using the pain pills to bridge me over so that I can at least function somewhat while waiting for the surgery. Then go back on a lower dose of steroids after that to work on the PMR. That may or may not be a long term treatment. :grumpy:
At least I'll know what's going on and can develop a treatment plan so that I'm able to work on the yard and boats and whatnot!
