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A Flare?

Posted , 7 users are following.

heather39822
heather39822

I need your advice. My situation seems so complex I am setting out the facts simply:

I have had PMR for two years since diagnosis.

I am on 10mgs of Prednisolone having tried numerous times to reduce, each time having been presented with severe headaches, neck and shoulder pain (which I assumed was my body telling me it was not ready for the Pred reduction) and I have gone back my safety net of 10mgs.

I arrived in England a week ago to visit my daughters who live here.

I have come to Rochester to help a friend whose husband is bedridden.

Yesterday late afternoon I began flu-like aches in my neck and shoulders. By 10pm I was almost crippled by pain everywhere: head, neck, shoulders, arms and legs, symptoms I have never previously experienced. This was accompanied by the lightest tingling sensation all over (I do haver peripheral neuropathy but this has only ever been in my feet and calves).

I didnot tell my friend about my condition (I am supposed to be helping her, not the reverse) and spent a fearful night Googling my sympoms - and coming up with scary possibilities.

Is this a flare as I have never experienced? While I have constant dull pain, it is any movement that brings on the excruciating, crippling pain.

As a visitor, I don't know whether to find a GP - or if this could be just a flare and I need to up my Pred.

Would so appreciate any advice.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Tastyron
    Tastyron heather39822

    Posted

    Sorry to hear that you feel so bad.

    im no expert but the stress of travelling and having to help your friend could have caused au flare. Could you not up your dose and see if it helps. You don't need a Dr to do that.

    Good luck and I'm sure that more knowledgable people will be along soon.

    Ron

  • EileenH
    EileenH heather39822

    Posted

    This is Heather/Zimbabwe I assume? You had a long flight and travel is VERY fatiguing - and what have you been doing while with your friend? It could be a combination of the PMR flaring plus something like myofascial pain syndrome - it can affect the whole of the truck if all your back goes into spasm.

    However - it could be a viral infection you picked up on the plane. I think I would try to get an emergency appointment with your friend's GP - and I would try a higher dose of pred once just to see if it helps. Either way - if it is an infection you may well need more pred to cover the PMR.

    • heather39822
      heather39822 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you Eileen. Yes, indeed Heather from Zimbabwe.

      I have spoken to 111 and the assistant suggested I call a GP, which my friend is doing now.

      As I can't walk, one of my daughters is coming from London now and hopefully we will see a doctor. Meanwhile as soon as I can eat, I will up the Pred to 15mgs.

      After this long and fearful night I feel as though I am attached to a lifeline with this forum. Thank you so much.

    • Tastyron
      Tastyron heather39822

      Posted

      Personally I wouldn't wait to eat until I took the Pred. Acid reflux would be the least of my worries.
    • EileenH
      EileenH heather39822

      Posted

      Like Ron - acid reflux would be the least of my worries. But a glass of milk is said by experts to be enough - if you can face that.
    • heather39822
      heather39822 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you all for your advice. I did see a doctor and was diagnosed with an infection and put on an antibiotic.

      As always great to be part of the PMR lifeline when in need.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Tastyron

      Posted

      I thought the issue was a bit more serious than chance of acid reflux, something like gastric bleeding, which potentially could kill you?
  • Handbrake
    Handbrake heather39822

    Posted

    Always worth getting checked out heather, there is also a surge of shingles around at the moment.
  • Susanne_M_UK
    Susanne_M_UK heather39822

    Posted

    Good luck, Heather. Hope you get relief and some answers.

    Do let us know how you get on.

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