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PMR and CGA on Doc Martin

Posted , 11 users are following.

Oregonjohn-UK
Oregonjohn-UK

Watching Doc Martin on ITV tonight and guess what - a patient correctly dianosied with PMR/CGA - at least the program maker have some idea about it. 

Anyone else watch it - it was on ITV at 9 o'clock Monday (UK).  Is on ITV Player, if it's available to our overseas members!

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    We'll get the new series sometime this winter, I expect.  
  • erika59785
    erika59785 Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    I would love to see Doc Martin and his diagnosis of PMR.  I watched most of his series on Netflix here.  I will wait until it will come out in the US.

     

  • christine_fay
    christine_fay Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    Didn't think she had that many symptoms to be diagnosed so accurately. When I went to the doc I was doubled up. Couldn't stand up straight or walk upright and it came on real sudden . I certainly don't get weekly monitoring! Or even monthly!
    • constance.de
      constance.de christine_fay

      Posted

      I also was diagnosed within minutes.

      You weren't/aren't being monitored very well, are you?  I was seen first weekly, then monthly, and now, after nearly four years every eight to ten weeks.  Where in England do you live?  It's perhaps time to find a new doctor.

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 christine_fay

      Posted

      my doctor did not know a lot of pmr, but she even had heard of the symptoms and did a blood test and he ho she thought i had pme. i have been really lucky with this doctor as the male one is , well say no more!
  • constance.de
    constance.de Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    Hi John.  Have just Googled I-player and there is an ex-pat firm that say it can be shown on PC, tablet, etc for £5 per month.  Not bad! Will consider that pro tem.

    Constance

    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK constance.de

      Posted

      Hi Constance, If you want to watch UK TV via the catchup services such as BBC iPlayer, 4oD and ITV Player. And, perhaps, you have a Sky Now subscription and would like to watch the content for which you have paid, via a web browser.

      The good news is that this is entirely possible, although you should be aware that you are technically breaking the rights agreement reached between rights holder and broadcaster. Arguably, if you are usually a resident of the UK (and a TV Licence payer), you are at least morally in the right.

      How to watch UK TV when abroad: Use the Hola unblocker plugin

      The Hola plugin spoofs IP addresses for a variety of countries. In this case, you want to use Hola to convince UK TV websites that we are surfing from the UK. First install the Hola unblocker browser plugin on your web browser. Hola works with Chrome, Firefox or the Android OS. 

      I can't send the address on the forum as I will get moderated!  Just google to work with your usual browser.

  • Susanne_M_UK
    Susanne_M_UK Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    I'm going to watch it on catch up. My neighbour just told me she watched it. I don't usually watch it.
  • paula63201
    paula63201 Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    Do you recall which Doc Martin Series and which episode in that series? There have been at least 6 series, I think. Perhaps more in the UK.
  • farmers_wife
    farmers_wife Oregonjohn-UK

    Posted

    We watched it and were amazed at both the speedy diagnosis and the biopsy aided only by the receptionist. My husband had the biopsy done in hospital by an opthalmic surgeon and the results with the lab on site took 3 days. Until my husband's diagnosis we had never heard of GCA and obviously neither had the doctor who incorrectly diagnosed trigomenal neuralgia for his splitting headache - or interestingly as we say in the UK blinding headaches! He also had the PMR symptoms for months before the development of GCA and these were missed too.

    Better move to Cornwall and get an appointment same day rather than the 2/3 weeks wait to see one's own doctor here.

    One thing I liked was the statement that the patient would be obliged to slow down as without comparison you sometimes think it is only you feeling this tired.

    We were also disappointed to find the steroids didn't releive anything except the pain ie not the tiredness and in fact seem to make it worse.

    We shall watch her development with interest to see how her treatment is carried out as our first referral will be 6 weeks after the start of steroids and certainly not weekly bloods.

     

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 farmers_wife

      Posted

      Hi when i was diagnosed i saw the doctor every 2 weeks and bloods were done the first visit, and the six week visit, then 3 months which i am told is too long. Hope all goes well for your husband, this site is the best, we have some very good ladies who have the knowledge, keep in touch
    • constance.de
      constance.de farmers_wife

      Posted

      "Steroids didn't relieve anything except the pain"  -  my goodness, wasn't that a relief though?  I'm afraid it will take a relatively long time to relieve the tiredness.  The steroids make us tired, so do GCA and PMR - a double whammy!

      Welcome to the 'club'.  You and your husband will get all the mental help you will need on this forum.  Our experts know more about these particular illnesses than most of the doctors and rheumatologists.

      Good luck and best wishes from Constance 💐

    • farmers_wife
      farmers_wife constance.de

      Posted

      thank you

      Do you know it is such a relief for me to be able to talk about my husband's condition - we're both in it together after all and I feel sometimes that our friends don't understand why he can't just pull himself together and stop being so tired and depressed because of it.

      Has anyone come through the other side and how long did it take - or don't I really want to know that yet.

      We thought in 2013 the tiredness was a result of glandular fever (the teenage kissing disease at 77!) so we have been trying to deal with the chronic fatigue for some time but as my husband has always been mega active the pacing was well nigh impossible and the resulting frustration has made him so depressed.

      Hey ho we'll keep going

    • constance.de
      constance.de farmers_wife

      Posted

      I only have PMR (not so bad as GCA!) so I can't really advise.  However, we have many 'experts' with masses of experience who will be able to answer nearly all your questions.  Don't be afraid of asking.  There is always someone on here who will listen/commiserate/help.
    • paula63201
      paula63201 constance.de

      Posted

      I 'only' have PMR. I had a ton of energy on 20 mgs, in addition to NO PAIN!! Now, getting down to 'only' 5 mg, I am tired. I have always been very active and energetic and could never keep still, so I understand the frustration. 

      The pain was horrific prior to diagnosis and without Pred (in 2013). One thing that helped me was to be distracted. With the undiagnosed PMR, it helped me to work at a stand up desk, as sitting for longer periods was agonizing, standing was also, but changing it up helped. My husband was a complete angel helping me do everything that I couldn't, which was pretty much everything.

      I also spent time watching British TV that comes to us via WETA UK. These were and still are old programmes, for the most part, but new to us here in the US. I got totally hooked on Born and Bred, for example, which came to us daily, so, from one day to the next I could look forward to seeing all the people on the show. (I was useless among real people!). I also binge watched Midsomer Murders and other mindless things. Sometimes, that is all the energy I had and even now, I do the same as I DVR (record) a lot of shows and save them for when I am tired and can't be bothered.

      For what it's worth: For me, at this stage it is really important to get enough rest. I try to get to bed by 10. I get up at 6 to go to work. I also walk and do yoga and drink a lot of water (2 litres) and stay off sweets, carbs and fats. I try not to overdo any activities. It is tough, as I work full time and have 9 grandchildren and have hobbies that require time and practice, so a tight schedule is really key. I flounder and flail about.

      Can't wait to retire. Soon, soon. About time too. Am 69.

    • constance.de
      constance.de paula63201

      Posted

      I was also down to 5 mg (after over 3 1/2 years  -  started on 40 mg) but I recently had a nasty flare.  Up again to 10 mg for a week, gradually reducing again.  Evidently 5 mg seems to be a 'difficult' dose.  We are waiting for our own adrenals to kick in.

      Poor you - still working at 69!  

      All the best.  Constance

    • paula63201
      paula63201 constance.de

      Posted

      Hi Constance,

      My sympathies. Really stinks having to go back up. Did the flare come on suddenly, or did you have slowly oncoming twinges?

      Stupid body.

    • paula63201
      paula63201 constance.de

      Posted

      Yikes!

      I guess the only possible advantage (if you can even call it that!) to a sudden event like that is that there is NO doubt what it is.

      Whenever I get twinges, I agonize over them, is it a flare or is it adjustment or is it this or is it that.

      Geez, hang in there!!

    • Susanne_M_UK
      Susanne_M_UK farmers_wife

      Posted

      Hi farmer's wife.

      I was diagnosed with GCA at the end of 2014, following 5 years of PMR, although the last 18 months or so of the PMR, it was almost in remission and I was down to 1mg of prednisolone. Then after a couple of months of feeling really unwell and misdiagnosis by my GP, GCA was diagnosed.

      A word of warning, the rheumatologist usually wants you to taper the Pred far too quickly and you can very easily end up with a flare and you then have to go back up to a high dose. I've had two flares, although one of them was due to a severe lung infection.

      So although your husband is frustrated by his lack of energy and inability to do what he could before, it will help him in the long term to try to go with his body and take it easy. Easier said than done and I have been guilty of wanting to rush things and still be the person I was, - working fulltime in a very busy job, lots of social activities, being the one people ask for help because I was always there and willing. I had to give up my job and am slowly learning to live a less stressful life, I've really had no choice.

      I don't mean to sound all doom and gloom, but stress and working too hard will just make the GCA worse.

      I wish your husband well.

    • constance.de
      constance.de paula63201

      Posted

      2nd paragraph!  We all do!  Try not to worry - at least PMR isn't life threatening.  It's just a b....... painful illness.

      I've tried to get down to 5 mg twice before and each time BANG.  I think I'll stay on 6 mg for a long time this time. -  when I get down there again!

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