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I was told yesterday I have pmr

Posted , 7 users are following.

mandy_46010
mandy_46010

I’m so confused. After months of back a forth to dr I was told yesterday consultant thinks I have PMR.  I’ve been given prednisone 5mg x 4 every morning with food . I will then take another blood test end of month before I see consultant again to confirm . 

My story is in Aug 17 I blacked out broke my shoulder and after a few weeks and test it was found I had prob with my liver my gp decided to give me monthly blood tests to check levels. I then was really bad again and see dif dr who ordered specialists bloods where they found the liver prob was caused though my bones . I had a scan where dye was put in my veins and consultant said PMR.  My question is has anyone else had probs with there liver ? I also had a brain scan on Monday but not had results for that yet . I’ve read the meds will help in days and it can go away but I’ve also read its for life . I just don’t know what to expect from the illness or the meds . 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy mandy_46010

    Posted

    Dear Mandy, I am so sorry you may have PMR. I am a bit muddled though as there is no real diagnosis of PMR, it is a matter of cancelling out everything else. If steroids have a miraculous effect on the pain and your inflammation markers are high possibly points to PMR. Some people, about 20%, do not have inflammation showing on their blood markers, which can make it more difficult. I have never heard of PMR being diagnosed with a scan using contrast media, are you sure that the consultant said that the scan was the reason for his diagnosis of PMR? Also the steroids should help the symptoms pretty quickly, but the actual disease is long term normally at least two years and often a lot longer.  

    The symptoms of PMR are painful shoulders and/or painful hips, is this what you have got?

  • EileenH
    EileenH mandy_46010

    Posted

    It isn't uncommon for liver function tests to come back raised in PMR - the trouble is that lots of doctors don't know it seems!

    If it is PMR the symptoms will go away quite quickly with that dose of pred - but the disease doesn't go away. You will need some pred as long as it is active but the underlying cause of PMR burns out for 75% of patients in about 6 years or so. Some are lucky and are able to get off pred in a couple of years but are more likely to have a relapse. But only about 5% of patients have PMR for life. 

    I suspect that the doctor may have been concerned about another disorder that can cause the same sort of symptoms and that is why he did the scan - he didn't find anything so assumes it is more likely to be PMR and is trying the pred to see if it works. If it doesn't he'll have to think again!

    This is a link to post with lots of links to information - you may find some of them helpful:

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-website-addresses-and-resources-35316

    A couple are support charity sites with articles aimed at patients so they are easy to read.

    • Kenike77
      Kenike77 EileenH

      Posted

      Eileen

      Thank you so much for posting the link for helpful links!

      I've been wondering if I may be developing PMR (my brother and mother have it but have been in remission for years)

      I woke up this past Monday with severe bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Today had the shoulder pain (feels like my biceps are trying to come away from the bone) and I have the distal foot pain with a very mild fever.  Reading about the CTS in one of the articles has convinced me I need to go see my physician ASAP to see what is going on.

      Thank you again. I will be making a copy of that particular article to take to my physician.

       

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