inflammation?

Margaret Edwards. Hope very soon one of the \" Expert friends will be on post for you \" All I can offer you is my sympathy for all the pains you are suffering at this moment. Having had them, I really feel them with you.

What a dreadful \"Thing\" this PMR is ! I do not know what or how I could have faced another day of it, without the great support and encouregement I receive and still receive from this forum. Hope you hear from someone soon. Love and wishes. Granny Moss. :love:

Hello Margaret

Im sorry I cannot remmember your history There are tons of flu like bugs about so it couild be one of those I personally still dont feel 100% after the throat cough etc I had over new Year and my Dr said not to reduce steroids for a few weeks until I felt better

This could be a PMR/GCA episode so I would think a Drs visit would be sensible to nip anything in the bud Even just going without sleep for a night shatters you without anything else !!

Hope its just a bug

Best wishes

Mrs G

Hello Margaret

As a sufferer of both PMR and GCA, my advice to you would be to see your GP today if at all possible or even telephone the rheumatologist's secretary and get an urgent appointment with him.

I don't remember if you were a person who showed high inflammatory markers in the blood at the outset of the disease but, if so, these should be re-checked immediately.

As Mrs G said, it could be some sort of virus or infection and this needs to be ruled out. Even if it turns out to be a virus (and I do so hope it does), I'm sure no-one will feel you are wasting anyone's time as the experts will understand the possible risk to the eyesight of someone already diagnosed with GCA - you are the most important person here! I don't know what dose of Prednisolone you are on at the moment but it just might not be sufficient to keep the inflammation under control if there has been a flare.

It is not uncommon to have a flare of symptoms in the first year to eighteen months but I believe you are further down this road.

I do hope the news is good and do let us know how you get on.

Very best wishes,

MrsO

thanks for the replies. i am feeling a lot better today, after my day of doing nothing, but sitting. my eyes ache a little, but my sight is better, a surgery phone call told me to be quite for a few days, i am having blood tests tomorrow, and a visit to they reumy later in the month. i came off the steriods as they were proving bad for me, but have lost three stones in weight since july of last year. doc said i might get flare ups from time to time, and to rest w hen i do etc. margaret.

Hello again Margaret

I'm so glad to hear you're feeling much better today and now that you mention you have had to come off the steroids as they were \"proving bad\" for you, it is highly possible that you were having a flare. However a flare in GCA carries much more risk than a flare with PMR alone and I'm surprised that your surgery just told you to \"be quiet for a few days\" Did the steroids cause a heavy weight increase or have you wished to lose all that weight in only 6 months? It's sort of in line with my sudden 1 stone weight loss in the month of illness before being diagnosed with GCA. However, the good news is that you do feel better today and you are having blood tests tomorrow with a follow-up visit to the rheumy soon. Perhaps a visit to the optician would be a sensible precaution to put your mind at rest meanwhile?

All the very best,

MrsO

Margaret I cannot make an educated response as new to this disease but you have my heartfelt sympathy as a fellow sufferer...... I do so hope you manage to find some relief.....my best wishes

hi Margaret,

I am also relatively new to all this, as was diagnosed with PMR last April, but my advice would be to badger your doctor if you are not 100% comfortable with what they are advising....after all, this is YOUR health, and you do not want to risk making matters any worse by having a delay in treatment.

Good luck and hope you feel much better soon.

best wishes, Pauline.