Posted , 5 users are following.
I was diagnoised with PMR in November after a bad viral infection and since I ve been taken Deltacortril steriods my monthly cycle has been all over the place (over 6 weeks since my last period) and Ive had on and off bleeding when passing urine - has anyone else experienced this? I am 41. TIA
0 likes, 6 replies
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EileenH geraldine93993
Posted
Menstrual disturbances are listed as a side effect - though given the age of most of us on here I doubt many of us have experienced them! I was still menstruating when PMR started at 51 but not by the time I was finally given pred at 57!
You are very young to have been given a PMR diagnosis - did you have any difficulty getting it recognised? So many doctors believe you can't get it if you aren't over 50, some even insist only 70-year olds get it! WE know it is possibly in younger people - we don't know how to convince the medics though sometimes!
geraldine93993 EileenH
Posted
My menstrual cycle has very been different since I started taking the steroids, I was as regular as clock work and I've only had one since been diagnosed. I know I am definitely not pregnant. I have an appointment with a rheumatologist this week so I hope to get some more answers.
EileenH geraldine93993
Posted
You say you were diagnosed very quickly after a viral infection and that you had JOINT pain. Joint pain is not normally part of PMR. it is more painful muscles and stiffness although sometimes joints are affected - mainly hips and shoulders because of accompanying bursitis. I'm surprised your doctor didn't suspect something called reactive arthritis - arthritis that results from inflammation due to an infection or, sometimes, trauma.
However - if you are seeing a rheumatologist this week he should consider all options.
geraldine93993 EileenH
Posted
My hips & shoulders are also affected, as are my muscles mainly in my thighs, arms and also my hands.
My doctor did test me for other forms of arthritis as well.
EileenH geraldine93993
Posted
I know you don't like the idea of taking pred long term, none of us do - but if it is PMR there is, as yet, no other option other than dealing with the pain and stiffness on a day to day basis. I've had PMR for 11 years, I was 51 when it started, it hasn't gone away yet, even for a short time. More usual is somewhere in the region of 5 years, more or less. About a quarter are able to get off pred in 2 years or so but they are at a higher risk of a relapse at some point.
There are no definitive "tests for other sorts of arthritis" - if there were it would all be so much easier. PMR can be the herald of a lot of things, the form we discuss here is an autoimmune disorder whose symptoms respond well to pred and can be managed with the right dose until the autoimmune disorder goes into remission. Unfortunately, there are many doctors, GPs and rheumatologists both, who do not believe you can have PMR or GCA if you are under the age of 50. It isn't true, it's just far less common in younger patients. So be warned - you may well be told it isn't PMR and be told to stop pred. I wish you luck in having a good and broad-minded rheumy, you already have such a GP.
geraldine93993 EileenH
Posted