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Does PMR run in families?

Posted , 9 users are following.

karen1961
karen1961

For the past 18 months I have been living with considerable pain which is severely affecting my quality of life. I can hardly get out of bed in the morning as I am so stiff and in pain and my sleep is very disturbed by painful hips and feet. I am almost 53 and have been to the GP and had blood tests which have all came back normal. I have gone from being lively with a lot of energy and get up and go to having little energy, finding it painful to exert myself, even walking, and am getting quite low about it all. I have put on weight due to my inactivity but do eat ry healthily. My Dad has PMR and GCA which I have mentioned to my GP. How do I get the doctor to listen as I am starting to feel she thinks I am a neurotic middle aged woman. I just want some quality of life back.

1 like, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • karen1961
    karen1961

    Posted

    Well I saw the doctor today, a locum, not my usual GP. She is doing bloods to test my ESR level, thyroid and also my hormones in case it's not PMR but hormonal changes. I told her I am fed up being fobbed off with pain killers and want to find out what is causing my pain. She asked how I feel about HRT and I said I will take whatever is going to rid me of the pain. She was not negative about HRT and seemed to consider it being PMR when I told her what my symotoms were. If the bloods come back normal for all the tests I will have to persist and ask what they are going to do next. I told her I have no quality of life anymore and at 52 that is pretty hard to take. I will post what happens next.
    • hope4cure
      hope4cure karen1961

      Posted

      Hi Karen,

      great to hear u r taking charge and not going to be excused..UR so right u r to young for quality of life to be limited. Especially now u know u will find UR path to recovery . Healing thoughts sent UR way.

      Good job.. Stay strong! 

      ((Hugs))

    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey karen1961

      Posted

      Karen, you haven't mentioned having the Vit D test I suggested in an earlier reply.  It's important to get it done, whatever your final diagnosis.

      Also, bear in mind when given your blood test results that you can still have PMR and/or GCA with normal blood markers.

      I do hope those results come through quickly so that you can be treated accordingly and get back your quality of life.  All the best.

       

  • denise76179
    denise76179 karen1961

    Posted

    Hi Karen

    It seems that yes it does run in families.  My Mum had the form GCA and with treatment is now over it, however I'm wondering if it has caused her AF and heart problems which is her most pressing concern now at 88years.  I have recently been diagonised with PMR. My Dr after seeing me almost crawl into her surgery immediately asked if a family member had PMR and did the CRP and ESR test straight away (they came back very high)before putting me on prednisone with spectacular results.  I think I was lucky to have it diagonised so quickly.  My pain was muscular from shoulder to elbow and hip to knee both sides and excuriating to put it in a nutshell.  Your pain does sound a little different and has been going on for too long.  I would ask to see a specialist rheumatologist 

    • EileenH
      EileenH denise76179

      Posted

      Karen sounds like me for the first 5 years I had PMR so it could be.

      As for your mum - there is a much higher rate of AF and other heart problems in people with an autoimmune disorder. I developed AF in the early stages of my PMR though it wasn't recognised or diagnosed. The cardiologist I saw after it went mad in response to i.v. valium for a back problem said he believed it was due to damage caused by the underlying autoimmune problem in PMR. 

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