I don't no if I have pmr or not
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I went to see a rheumatologist wit he knots of muscles in my kneck she said I had wear n tear of the neck I have been getting worse pain wise I'm on lots of different pain meds I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia for the last six month I keep going back to doctors different ones as its a five min appointment . I now struggle to get out of bed my neck is in agony trying to get up I shuffle to the end of the bed to get hold of draws to try pull myself up plus also I can't stand or walk much now even trying do my hair hurts shoulders and standing kills back and hips I'm walking stooped over so I thinkbibcould have polymyalgia Thank you
0 likes, 29 replies
Kdemers paula21528
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paula21528 Kdemers
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Silver49 paula21528
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paula21528 Silver49
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Thank you but I'm at a loss now as the meds I'm on are co codamol gabapentin tramadol and ametryptlene all doc wAnt to do is up the tramadol I all ready take two at night I don't want to take any more as they are only taking edge off not taking pain away I can't sleep at night so I'm always tired in the day thank youngster 49
paula21528
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amkoffee paula21528
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I can tell you right now that the pain from PMR does not really respond to pain killers. I'm on Opiates for my lower back (a problem I had prior to my PMR dx) and it does nothing for my PMR pain.
Mrs_Hobbles paula21528
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What you're describing Paula, sounds so typical of PMR and the only way to tell is to take 15 - 20mg prednisone. If you get amazing relief from your symptoms then that confirms it is PMR you are suffering from. Your blood tests may or may not show increased ESR or CRP but at least will build up a picture of what your markers are like. I hope you can get to your GP quickly and persuade them to let you try the prednisone, the relief will be fantastic for you and will happen very quickly, certainly within 24 hours. Please let us know how you get on!
Daniel1143 paula21528
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Completely agree. 20 mg of prednisone. If it seems like a magic pill you'll have your diagnosis
paula21528 Daniel1143
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Daniel1143 paula21528
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Paula, I'm certainly not qualified to comment on the drugs you're taking, but if these of the drugs prescribed is your pain and they are not drugs you have to taper off, I would stop them all yesterday and take 20 mg of prednisone.
I'm constantly amazed at the concoction of complex medications seem to be prescribed for people experiencing PMR like conditions. I think most of these doctors are simply prescription happy at their patient's expense.
EileenH paula21528
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If you have knots in muscles in your shoulders/neck it could be myofascial pain syndrome as well as polymyalgia rheumatica.
I think you need to see a more useful rheumy if you can't get some sense out of your GPs. Have you someone you could take to an appointment with you to vouch for the pain and diability you are suffering from? And suggest that the symptoms do seem to fit PMR so could you please just try a week of 15mg corticosteroids instead of the medications they have given you which do nothing.
The trouble is that fibromyalgia and PMR overlap in terms of symptoms so it can be a bit confusing. But the big difference is that PMR responds well to pred, fibromyalgia does not. Have they done blood tests? ESR and CRP are two tests that are raised in 4 out of 5 patients who have PMR. Unfortunately there are some patients where they are normal despite them having PMR - but if they are raised, it isn't fibromyalgia.
paula21528 EileenH
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EileenH paula21528
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ESR is the sedimentation rate - the speed that red blood cells fall to the bottom of a vertical tube.
CRP is C-reactive protein, a protein the liver makes if there is inflammation in the body.
They are both measures of inflammation being present in the body - they are very non-specific, they will go up if you have a cold or other infection, but they are part of the jigsaw that suggests a diagnosis of PMR together with the clinical signs and symptoms.
Your GPs haven't done a blood test? And just ASSUMED that what you have is fibromyalgia? That is not acceptable when the symptoms you have could be several things besides fibro and some of them are serious - don't want to scare you but that is the truth. First they have to rule them out - and THEN they can suggest it is fibromyalgia. Which is a very convenient diagnosis because you can't do anything about it.
Back to the GP - and can you book a double appointment if they are so daft as to chuck their patient out after 5 mins?
paula21528 EileenH
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EileenH paula21528
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I've had years of experience explaining things like this! GPs tend to expect everyone to either understand what they say in medical speak or they assume patients won't understand at all so they don't spend time explaining. Not entirely their fault but it isn't good enough.
Good luck - hope you get a nice GP who will listen.
paula21528 EileenH
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Thank you I'm going to ask for a blood test for it
Anhaga paula21528
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Just be aware that there is no test for PMR itself - just for inflammatory substances your body is producing. If these are found it could be caused by PMR, but it can also be caused by other things. And quite a lot of people with PMR never get the raised inflammatory markers. So it is hard for doctors do diagnose, which is why they have to pay close attention to your symptoms and respect your account of how you are.
I know Eileen had trouble getting a diagnosis because she didn't have the raised markers, and my symptoms were dismissed for a while because my markers weren't considered high enough! But you certainly must have the tests done for the reasons Eileen said. Good Luck! Do let us know how you get on.
Kdemers paula21528
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Kdemers Anhaga
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It will hurt nothing to try the Prednisone.