Newly Diagnosed
Posted , 10 users are following.
I am newly diagnosed with PMR and possible GCA. My defeats and crap were initially high then normal on follow up but they are sending me for temporal artery biopsies. I have severe pain in my right eye and my vision is as if I am looking through a peep hole. Pain in base of skull, shoulders hips, thighs, and knees, no fever, and no wt loss. Pain on swallowing and chewing. Started on 60 mg prednisone per day. Do you who have this issue recognize this as the treatment? What else can I expect.. ps I am 51
0 likes, 20 replies
sandy08116 linda04580
Posted
Jaw pain was an obvious indication that blood is not servicing that area. To chew was painful, had to wait a few seconds while the jaw 'unclamped' before taking another mouthful. Quite common in GCA. Once GCA and prednisone started, it went away, as did the eye auras. And now, almost a year on, so has the moon face!
linda04580
Posted
EileenH linda04580
Posted
Don't think that plantar fasciitis is necessarily part of PMR but carpal tunnel syndrome IS definitely found alongside PMR. It often improves at the higher doses of pred but then returns as the dose falls - like myofascial pain syndrome affecting the back.
Taking your pred in the middle of a proper breakfast, not just a bowl of cereal - eat half, take the tablets, eat the rest - may help your stomach and most doctors would give a prescription for an anti-acid medication. Usually they would hand out a PPI such as omeprazole which is fine in the short term but should not be used for long because of potential side effects. Ranitidine/Zantac does the same job without the increased risk of stomach cancer they have recently found with long term use of PPIs (years, not months).
lilian05079 linda04580
Posted
I had carpal tunnel syndrome many years ago and had an op to release the nerve that causes CTS..regarding CTS in association with PMR. .research was carried out and it was found out of 12 patients 5 presented with CTS and no PMR whilst 7 presented with CTS and PMR...so yes your CTS can be associated with PMR....my very best wishes to you linda04580...
Anhaga linda04580
Posted
Just to add to Eileen's comment, thanks to people mentioning it repeatedly on the forum I've started using a little plain yoghurt to help protect my stomach, not so much from pred which I manage quite well at breakfast, but if I need aspirin for a headache. It really makes a difference. You might find that adding yoghurt to your breakfast may help your stomach.