Hi in January I started off with neck pain, flu like symtoms like aching all over, shivering, no appetite, I started to get pains in my thighs back and front, and pain in lower back, got so bad I couldn't walk, I eventually went to doctor and she did the bloods, results were c reactive was 83.0, monocytes 1.25 and eosinophils .03, doctor sent me to A and E.
i seeing a Doctor and she suspected polymyaliga rheumatica, but said she would try get a rheumatologist to come see me, which she did and she was lovely,
i was started on 20mg of prednisone and within 24 hrs I could walk and I just cried but my neck still achey but can live with that I'm 63 ,and was back at clinic on following Monday, so I was to stay on 20mg for 2weeks 17.5 for 5 days, 15 mg for 5 days, and 12.5 for 3 days, which today should be my last day on 12.5,
but yesterday I went to eat and couldn't open my mouth, and then last night I had tingling on both sides of my temple and there little bumps, that's the only way I can describe it, I'm just so worried can anyone help, thanks
Ring your doctor, or go to A&E, when I had other things suspected with PMR, that are connected, those were the signs to look out for....possible temporal arteritis. Other people on here are much more clued up on all this than I am (Eileen!).....but I wouldn`t wait around, at least ring 111 (if in uk) Good luck, keep us posted...Linda.
Ps. Your lowering of Pred sounds far too quick to me, and could be some of the problem!!
Hi Eliz ,I am not medically trained ..but that seems far far to quick to cut your PRED down ,and in such big jumps of your pred .......one of the more intelligent laddies will be along shorty to help you a lot more than I can , sending lots of healing wishes to you x
Elizabeth, the symptoms you describe are among the classic symptoms of temporal arteritis and need to be checked as soon as possible. Because your eyesight is at risk, among other things, you need to act quickly. Please contact your doctor immediately and make sure your case is handled as an emergency. This is the step all of us who have PMR need to take when we have these symptoms. In a number of cases, the examination will show no temporal arteritis but there is no way of knowing unless we get the symptoms checked out.
However, if temporal arteritis does strike, time is of essence in getting treatment started. Please get whatever support you need immediately - your family and/or neighbors. I do not mean to alarm you. Many members of this site have temporal arteritis and not only cope with it quite well but make amazing recoveries. The message I am trying to get across to you here is to take immediate action.
You are in my prayers. God speed.
As Linda says, you need to call your doctor or go to A&E as soon as possible, today not when it is convenient, as it could be GCA - PMR symptoms can be part of GCA or can be just PMR. If you can't see your GP this morning, go to A&E.
That reduction is a bit fast - most experts would keep you at 15mg for at least a month after 2 weeks of 20mg (it would be 6 weeks of 15mg otherwise). However - if this is GCA that wouldn't make any difference, it isn't really high enough a dose to control GCA. The speed of reduction isn't the problem after such a short time, it is that it probably wouldn't have been long enough to control the existing inflammation which is important.
However, for now - straight off to the doctor.
thanks Linda and thanks for getting back so quick, I will ring my doctor, iwas away for weekend and had half bottle of red wine on both nights, before weekend I had been on strict diet cutting out all sugars and carb and drinking ginger and orange and eating fish, do have cold on me for last week, I'm new here, hope your feeling good
Thank you, I`m gettin there.... slow but sure is the answer it seems. We`re all here to support each other, we can`t all know the answers, but I`m beginning to think we are more clued up on here than the medical profession. (Eillen is a treasure! and others of course) I feel sorry for those people out there who don`t have a forum to consult!.....
Hi Eliz,
My GP didn't think I had PMR the first time I went to see her but referred me to a rheumy just in case. There was a 2 month waiting time and I just kept getting worse so went back to my GP and she prescribed 20mg of prednisone. It only took about 8 hours and I could get out of bed almost pain free. I was thrilled to say the least. Unfortunately, my GP wasn't familiar with PMR and did what yours did and had me reduce too quickly. By the time I got to my rhuemy I was in a major flare and had to start all over again. PMR is definitely a lesson in patience. It is a lousy drug but once you are able to get to the lower doses it doesn't have the side affects as much as the higher doses.
I hope you find out what is causing your other symptoms but I agree that anything that might resemble GCA would send me straight to the Dr.
Hugs, Diana
thanks Eileen i went to A and E and was treated immediately, bumps along side of temples is inflammed arteries.so they have kept in so feel lucky, so everyone needs to watch out for this and act quicker than me, many thanks and hope your ok xxx
Eileen ment to say they diagnosed GCA and on 60mg xxxxxc
hi Diana thanks for all the help and information, really appreaciate it. ye i think reducing too quickly is a big mistake, and it was the rheumatoligist who reduced my pred, i went to A and E yesterday and they diagnosed GCA, im now on 60mg and they admitted me, so this is where i am, i just think its so scary the headache has eased many thanks and wish you all good health xxxx
Well done! I think you did react reasonably quickly - it was Saturday it started and you had it sorted by Monday night. We have loads of people who have been messing about with GPs not recognising it for weeks and who haven't listened when we've said go to A&E - and in fairness, not all A&Es would have recognised it. Your description sounded pretty clear though.
Hope you get lots better very quickly.
thanks Boronia thank u so much for ur help and all the information
i did contact my doctor and he told me to go to A and E.i was treated as emergency, i was diagnosed with GCA and put on 60mg and i was a dmited . which is wherei am now.i was so wortied yestetday
Thank you for updating us on your condition. So glad to hear that you have come a long way since yesterday. Now that you have a diagnosis and a course of treatment, I hope your worries have been allayed somewhat. Please get some rest and enlist the support of all those around you as much as possible so you can forge your way to recovery in the days ahead. And you can count on a large host of supporters on this forum. You remain in my prayers. Best wishes.
Hi Eliz, glad you were able to get diagnosed with GCA quickly. Although it's not anything anyone wants to have at least you know what is wrong which is not so scary.
I hope you're home soon and feeling much better💐
Hugs, Diana
just an update Eileen had eye exam today and having a biopsy in morning xxx
just an update Eileen had eye exam today and having biopsy in morning x