PMR HAS REAL NATIONAL PUBLICITY AT LAST!

Thank you Will be getting Mail and Express today as apparantly it is in both NO doubt wil lbe getting texts from friends as they find it and realise Thats what shes been moaning about !!

Thanks Mrs O

An excellent article that I will be showing to my wife so she can better understand this dreadful complaint but I must say that I have never been so bad that I couldn't get out of bed or walk up stairs which has got me thinking. I have had to overcome a lot of pain at times to do these things, and once needed help to get out the bath, but have usually managed somehow. Could this be the difference between sufferers with raised blood levels and those without. I may post this as a question later.

Maybe its my warped sense of humour but I found the comment \"This is what it will be like in an old people's home one day, I thought good to practice now\" quite amusing.

Have a good day

Bob

I remember pre-diagnosis my words to my doctor (a different one, having got nowhere with my usual one).... in tears... \"I've either aged 30years overnight or I'm going completely mad\".

I also have a lot more sympathy for those older drivers who stop completeyly at GiveWay junctions to haul themselves areound to look properly! That was me for a few months too! (age 51)

Something else that bugs me - why are gp's so loathe to physically examine us? My current gp did that, but not the previous two. And the rheumy did it, so why don't all doctors, when you say you've no strength in your muscles and can't move? It's simple enough, they just get you to push against them first with your arms (no problem), then with your legs. Big problem! Is that the best you can do he said. Right, to the rheumy you go.

I've never really had the ongoing pain that so many of you have though.

Happy reading x

I just had to post JustJayne's comments on the article for your all.

\"May I just say - what a great article. Would other posters please bear in mind what the article is about ie Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) and Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA). Stop criticising her for comments which I am sure other people have on a daily basis, and praise her for bringing these conditions to the masses. Her experiences were meant to portray the conditions and the difficulties contained within. And I, as well as many others, can identify with all the symptoms she had and the problems she suffered, including feeling alone and vulnerable. Unless you have had PMR or GCA or know someone with these conditions, you have no idea what sufferers have to go through, especially when they live alone. Dorothy has only scratched the surface of how difficult these conditions are to live with - needs a book rather than an article. Thank you Dorothy for helping to raise awareness of these conditions. From one of the pre-50 sufferers who has, thankfully, recovered.\"

I also added in my twopennyworth.

I thought this was an excellent article and because of her media position she will be a great ambassador and give the rest of us a voice Message to Bob dont think blood levels are connected to this exactly as the first time I had this my incapacity came on quite slowly with like her thinking I had overdone it at the Gym and I had lots of pulled muscles in pelvic areas and tops of arms found I couldnt spring on to my horse and needed a mounting block ( put that down to old age !!) Was stiff when I had sat for a while and in the mornings It definately took a few months to get to the level when I wasnt coping and as Ive mentioned on other postings my ESR was normal and my CRP only slightly elevated The second time I had this both ESR and CRP were much higher but I definately had less pain than when my blood levels were lower !! So very confusing Her case was obviously very serious as it developed so quickly into GCA Thank goodness she had done her own research or she might not have been able to see to do this article ( a terible thought but obviously if it wasnt for her tenacity that could have happenned ) No I thought it was a great article and it definately might make some people realise that we arent moaning for nothing !!

Just read the article on line, whilst i feel very sorry for her or indeed anyone who is presented with these horrible symptoms, i thought it was brilliant especially when reported by someone who knows exactly what it feels like, I thought it was brilliant and hopefully will help readers to understand more. She is just the kind of person needed to promote awareness of PMR and GCA because everyone i have spoken to have never heard of it,so well done, Also on the website you can leave a comment about the article.

Hi All, my neighbour has just brought me the DM article - extremely interesting. I had to smile when Dorothy referred to her train journeys - I have just spent 3 days in Somerset which meant travelling for 5.5hrs by 2 trains + underground - what a nightmare! Bought myself a lightweight - or so I thought! - case with wheels thinking it would be easier, but should have got an 'L' plate for it. Found it hard to lift it onto train and then lift myself onto train, luggage shelf was full, so had to smile sweetly at young man to lift case onto parcel shelf in the hope he would get off after me to get ithe case down again. AND why I wonder are the steps onto and off the train so narrow with a gap between the step and the platform.

Interested that most PMR sufferers are started on 15mg a day Prednisolone, my doctor started me on 30mg, maybe because my blood tests were quite high. I wish Dr had started me on only 15mg a day, maybe the journey down from 30mg wouldn't be taking so long. Am seeing rheumy in 3 wks time so will be interested to see what he says.

Hope all you fellow sufferers have a good weekend and the sun soon returns so the dosages can reduce!!