:oops: :cry:
There is plenty of dogma still about PMR. In truth it is very difficult to diagnose. A lot of the statements in this article are based on very flimsy evidence. There is a big issue about case ascertainment in studies looking at PMR. PMR is often over-diagnosed and many different conditions can be misdiagnosed as such. I wouldn't say mimic - I would say misinterpretaed and misdiagnosed specifically. I think all people possibly with this condition should see a rheumatologist and not accept the GP's diagnosis unless the Gp can confirm they have ruled out the following: axial and/or proximal structure CPPD Disease; multi-level radiculopathy; spinal stenosis; spondylarthropathy; myeloma, myopathy (metabolic, endocrine, inflammatory, drug-induced etc - the list is long). The rheumatology literature is rife with erroneously diagnosed cases of PMR. Beware of thoser doctors who are quick to make the diagnosis, consider no investigations - beware of doctors's hubris in this sense. See a rheumatologist - otherwise you get put on steroids - long-term - they do damage - you can't get off them and you get very annoyed when you do finally learn from a rheumatologist that you shouldn't have been on them in the first place.
Is the SED rate sufficient to diagnose PMR?
A Rheumatologist Guest
Whist agreeing with quite a bit of what you say - misdiagnosis it is NOT the GP's fault or, indeed, in some cases the Rheumatologist's fault.
You as a Rheumatologist know as well as most patients on this site, that currently there is no known cause or cure and most importantly, no ' GOLD STANDARD DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES'.
One of your colleagues a Professor Bhaskar Dasgupta, is currently in the process of applying to NICE Topic Committee to get these Diagnostic Procedures out into the NHS.
Some patients are also working closely and trying to assist in this matter.
I would have liked a more positive input from a Rheumatologist - you well know that steroids and methotrexate are currently the only medication which relieves the pain.
You are also positively negative towards coming off steroids, yes its a long hard road and sufferers of PMR well know this and the side effects also - but we can and do reduce and finally get off, PMR does 'burn itself out'.
Put your brain to work and look for cause and cure please. And push for the gold standard diagnostic procedures to be cleared and issued to every GP and Rheumatologist in the Country.
And stop being negative.
mrs K
Barbara B
A fellow sufferer of PMR posted this on a Canadian Website.
However as you will see she is from the UK.
\"I saw my GP yesterday for a check-up. He said he had been at a conference over the weekend which was for updating - pmr was amongst the updates. He said that the information they were given is that esr is not now regarded as the most reliable indicator of pmr, and that crp is likely to be a more accurate indicator. I thought it was good that pmr is being included in updating sessions - anything that brings it to the top of the agenda has got to be good. Margaret/UK \"
So I suppose the short answer to your question is no.
However if you contact pmrfighters@yahoo.co.uk we do have more information on diagnostic procedures which are in the process of being cleared by NICE.
mrs K