Posted , 22 users are following.
Hi, can anyone share with me what age they were when diagnosed with PMR? I am 52, specialist said I am too young for PMR and diagnosed me with PsA. My eye and jaw ache on a regular basis. Thanks.
0 likes, 49 replies
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amkoffee annette25895
Posted
started to hurt I knew something was wrong. So I went the doctor. He ran so tests and my CPR was high as well my sed rate. Although I
will tell you that my sed rate was high for about A year and I ran a low grade fever in the morning for a year too without an explanation.
Then as things started hurting it was blamed on other things. Until the CRP levels were elevated and detected. That when I finally had my
PMR diagnosis.
adette01750 annette25895
Posted
Hi Annette
I am 53 and my rheumatologist x2 don't think i habe PMR as my age is too young.
My gp (relief) thinks I have but she has left now but started me on prednisolone which has shifter 90% of my pain, just gave spine pain now but found out I have bulging disks osteoarthritis and osteopenia.
I am on 20mg prednisolone daily, but they want me to reduce quickly but I'm not happy to do this as my other pains across my neck arms shoulders knees etc have gone.
I did have raised esr.
I am unsure what they have diagnosed you instead can you enlighten me please. As they are not diagnosing me with anything, just leaving me with no answers.
Thank you.
Anhaga adette01750
Posted
I can't really give you advice, others will, but I can tell you that 53 is not too young. In fact nearly every site you look at now says that PMR affects mostly adults over 50, which you are. If you had a really good response to your initial dose of pred, that is, you had bilateral pains which went away, that's a good sign the diagnosis of PMR is accurate.
I think Annette might have been referring to psoriatic arthritis (PsA in her post), and the symptoms for that according to National Psoriasis Foundation are:
Generalized fatigue
Tenderness, pain and swelling over tendons
Swollen fingers and toes
Stiffness, pain, throbbing, swelling and tenderness in one or more joints
A reduced range of motion
Morning stiffness and tiredness
Nail changes—for example, the nail separates from the nail bed and/or becomes pitted and mimics fungus infections
Redness and pain of the eye, such as conjunctivitis
EileenH Anhaga
Posted
I understood Annette to be saying the doctors say she is too young for PMR and want to make the diagnosis PsA (which is the recognised contraction for psoriatric arthritis). I had exactly the same response from a rheumy - but he saw me at age 56
It is possible for them to make a diagnosis without the nail changes or a history of psoriasis - and as you well know, all the rest sounds very similar to PMR. The real problem is - they don't use pred in PsA, they use DMARDs and DMARDs don't work for PMR. So the patient who is assigned to PsA but really has PMR is going to have a long period to trying various DMARDs before someone realises there may be something else going on. Months of unnecessary pain and disability.
linda17563 EileenH
Posted
It`s interesting about PsA because I could say that`s me! How do they define the difference anyway? What a minefield we plough!
EileenH linda17563
Posted
That is the problem - some of the signs of all these arthritides are very similar and there are no definitive tests. Which makes it all very hit an miss until a specific sign appears like the joint erosion in RA or nail/skin signs in PsA.
linda17563 EileenH
Posted
Thanks for that, my thumb nails are very dented and pltted, havn't linked it before.......
I agree all these overlaps can`t be easy for rheumies to diagnose....
EileenH linda17563
Posted
"Just like psoriasis, PsA can cause many nail problems and changes. These include “pitting,” or the formation of depressions in your fingernails or toenails. You may also notice your nail separating from your nail bed.
Sometimes nail dysfunctions can appear similar to fungal infections.
If your nails on either your hands or feet look discolored or have indentations, this could be a sign of psoriatic arthritis. In later stages, the nails can be crumble and may become very damaged."
This is from healthline - but there are loads of references to nail signs and symptoms in PsA. They don't have to be seen on all nails and which nail is affected is linked to where the PsA is affecting it seems.
Nancy_O annette25895
Posted
I was 57 when I was diagnosed. My daughter has PsA and it is very different from PMR.
EileenH Nancy_O
Posted
Once it has developed yes - but the initial presentation of PsA can be very PMR-ish. There are a LOT of rheumies who can't tell the difference it seems!!!!!
dawn4646 annette25895
Posted
Hi i was diagnosed at 48 with Gca I'm 18 months down the line . Most doctors agree it is, 1 doctor had made me have CT scans MRI and now see the urologist but even though I've done tests for him it's negative. It's def GCA even though I'm young . I know how I feel and the symptoms match. Just going back up,from 3 MLS to 5 -as it all got to much 🙄
rosalie76675 annette25895
Posted
I was diagnosed at about 70 but I had it for about 4 years before that. PMR is an autoimmune disease that usually affects people age 50 and older. The primary symptoms are painful shoulders, hips and thighs. It is treated with Predisone. Pain in the jaw and eye would not be usual,I don't think. What is PsA?
I hope this helps.
Rosalie
EileenH rosalie76675
Posted
PsA is psoriatric arthritis.
FlipDover_Aust annette25895
Posted
sastew annette25895
Posted
I was diagnosed with PMR at 50. Diagnosis was spot on. Coming up to my first anniversary now. Learning to work with it. Down to 6mg Pred now which is exciting!! The most frustrating thing is wondering whether things happening to my body, mind etc are side effects of steroids or the onset of menopause!!
Good luck
Sharron
Nancy_O sastew
Posted
Sharon,
I am 58 and have also struggled to sort out what belongs to PMR and what is menopause or side effects of prednisone. All I know is that my life has been radically altered in many ways and staying well for me means that I have to accept that for now at least, this is all I can do. Every time I try to push myself and do what the pre-PMR me would have done (family, work, volunteer activities) I relapse. I am finally down to 9mgs and hoping to continue. It's no fun having to say no to requests to babysit my beautiful grandchildren or go curling or golfing with my husband, but if I don't respect my fatigue or my body, I will be in trouble. So as they say in 12-step groups "just for today" I am doing all I can.
Anhaga Nancy_O
Posted
But as you progress on your journey to recovery, and your family learns to understand your limitations, things will get better. Your recovery as you so wisely seem to know will progress more smoothly if you take good care of yourself. It's a pity we can't look as disabled as someone on crutches or with their arm in a sling, but we are.