26 year old suspected polymyalgia
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi guys
I am a 26 year old female, about 3 and a half years ago I started to get very painful shoulders which then spreaded to my hips. I was told I have a impingement of the rotary cuff but when I explained my pain to my GP and doctors at the Hosiptal I was told they are completely separate and no way they could be connected. 3 years on and I have just been told I don’t have a impingement of the rotary cuff. I have now been referred to rheumatologist and been booked for a mri scan for my right shoulder, even though I have always said my pain is in both shoulders and my hips/legs after researching polymyalgia seemed to be the closest self diagnosed, I recently went to see my GP and when I mentioned could I have polymyalgia he completely discarded me and said I have been tested and I don’t it. I have been living a nightmare for so long in constant pain has anyone had any cases of someone my age having this condition or any other suggestions on what could possibly be wrong with me.
Thank you
0 likes, 2 replies
EileenH mercedes78831
Posted
There is a paper about a 24 year old with what was finally identified as PMR:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9673611
Originally when I found it the journal was available to read free-to-air but now it seems not to be so accessible - although there is a link for reading it via your local library. On the other hand - a doctor should be able to access it.
Your GP is wrong though - there are NO tests for PMR. It is a clinical diagnosis - symptoms and history and possibly elevated blood markers, ESR (sed rate) and CRP (a protein) . But the ESR/CRP are not outside the normal range in up to 20% of patients with PMR and that happens more often in patients who classify as "atypical", including the younger cases.
However - PMR is just the name given to the symptoms of some underlying disorder. On this forum it is an autoimmune vasculitis but there are several other causes and PMR can sometimes be the first symptoms the patient has of a whole range of things. Amongst them are forms of inflammatory arthritis as well as other things. I'm really rather appalled you have not been investigated much sooner - though why I'm surprised I don't know as it took me 5 years to get a diagnosis which only appeared after I told them what it was! I was a more usual age mind!
At least you now have been referred to a specialist? Do you have other symptoms - fatigue, sweats? Do let us know how you get on - because I doubt a rheumy would think of PMR at your age but I do hope they can think laterally. Where are you?
Anhaga mercedes78831
Posted
It is possible to have referred pain, often from the spine to wherever the nerves originating at a certain vertebra travel. I had such excruciating pain in my hip I thought I should be getting myself on the list for a hip replacement. But some treatment to relieve spasmed muscles in my back, plus targeted exercise, have relieved that problem completely. If the doctor's investigations don't turn up anything could you get a referral to a good physiotherapist?