mary-karen
I have polymyositis, which is an autoimmune disease which effects the proximal muscles - that is the muscles in the upper arms and legs. I get weakness - trouble climbing stairs and getting up from chairs - and my upper legs and thighs ache. Get to a doctor - and have a blood test, and muscle conduction studies (EMG's) done, because the disease causes an increased CK (a blood enzyme associated with muscle breakdown) and abnormal EMG's. If you have these, the doc will probably want to do a muscle biopsy. The disease is usually treated with prednisone initially, but there are other drugs, including methotrexate. I hope that you don't have this, but if you do, the sooner diagnosed, the better. Good luck