POSTED HAVE I GOT THIS LAST WEEK
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi I beleive i have this condition, found this site as I have been treated for Fibromylgia for years but have raised inflammatory levels. I see my gp this morning, my ESA and CRP are extremely high but my Potassium was low and he wants to repeat this, also going to send me back to the rhemotolgist, has any one else had low potassium with this, i have endless pain all over, mainly in my neck, shoulders and arms, some in my back and legs. I also feel swollen especially under my arms in my arm pit area, do any body elese feel this?
0 likes, 10 replies
Nefret lindsey65522
Posted
ptolemy lindsey65522
Posted
If you are able to get say a week's trial on steroids and a miracle happens it is very likely PMR.
EileenH lindsey65522
Posted
If your ESR and CRP are extremely high - it is unlikely that all your symptoms are due to fibromyalgia so I hope you have a rheumatologist who will accept that! Unfortunately some people find that once a fibro diagnosis is made their doctor can't see past that. How was it treated?
The symptoms of PMR can be very similar to other forms of arthritis as well and they also can cause raised ESR and CRP but some of your symptoms could be due to the low potassium which can also cause sore muscles. Are you on any medications that could cause it? As Nefret says, bananas and apricots are particularly high in potassium and usually sort it out. Your doctor is absolutely right to check it though - sometimes it was something wrong with the blood sample or the lab process. However - you have to have potassium every day, it isn't stored in the body to top up the level if it goes a bit low. Maybe it is a dietary thing.
I think I have heard a few people saying they felt discomfort under their armpits - but I have no real idea why.
lindsey65522 EileenH
Posted
Thank you for your reply. My ESR and CRP have been high for years, but my GP as lovely as he is hasnt really taking any notice of it, i am also diabetic and take meds for that, I hate bananas unfortunately but will try some dried appricots today. I am at my wits end with it all, been in pain for years now, diagnosed with fibro and being treated with Gapamentin and co-codomols. But the raised ESR and CRP are not normally connected with Fibro. The pain I have is mostly in the top part of my body, my arms, neck and shoulders, sometimes in my legs and back. I do feel kind of swollen especially under my arms like they feel imflammed, would be interested to know if anybody else has this.
Being refered back to rhemotoligist and a pain clinic, and to be honest the appointment cannot come soon enough.
X
EileenH lindsey65522
Posted
I don't go a bundle on bananas either - couldn't do one a day, one a month maybe! Another easy way is to get the "low salt salt" - if you see what I mean! The salt replacers are made with potassium salts - so if you use salt, ideal to up your potassium a bit. (LoSalt is one of the products and has 66% potassium chloride instead of the sodium chloride - so don't go mad with it either!). Anhaga has added to the list of foods though!
Does the gabapentin and co-codamol help at all? Hope the rheumy appointment comes through soon.
lindsey65522 EileenH
Posted
The gapapentin and co-codamol keep the pain at bay a little but its constantly there, and if i get stressed at all the pain in my chest area is worse so much so that i can barely walk. I work full time and im almost 50 but i am really struggling to work full time at the moment. I am hopeing, that the rhemotolgist will be able to diagnose what it is weather fibro which i dont think now, or PMR,
How do you cope, which medication do you take?
EileenH lindsey65522
Posted
I'm on pred - and it manages the pain pretty much 100% as long as I take the right dose and deal with what I call the add-ons of myofascial pain syndrome which causes back problems, has done for years.
Just a warning though - if you are under 50 you may struggle to get a diagnosis as simple as PMR. Many doctors have a blinkered view that it only happens in pver-50s - to the extent they will tell someone of 49 they are "too young" which of course is tosh! However, with having a fibro diagnosis it may make it more difficult to get them to look outside that so be very clear with them that this is different.
What is the chest pain you mention? That isn't very typical of PMR - though a lot of patients on the forums would dispute the image many rheumies have of a "typical" PMR patient!
Mrs_Hobbles lindsey65522
Posted
Co-codamol wouldn't take the pain of PMR away so unlikely it's is PMR, def sounds more like Fibromylgia. Is the pain in your chest worse when you breath or move? If so it could be Costocondritis, which is inflammation of the cartridge between your ribs and sternum. Anti inflammatory should sort that out! Hope your appt with rhumy sorts it out!!
Mrs_Hobbles lindsey65522
Posted
Low levels of potassium causes an increase in Lactic Acid which causes pain in your muscles. It would be interesting to see if you raise your potassium by yes, a banana a day, and found that your pain subsided, let's hope so, would be a lovely easy solution!
Anhaga lindsey65522
Posted
There are a number of really good sources of potassium, apart from bananas. So no need to get bored. Avocado, sweet potato, some of the leafy greens, mushrooms, salmon.... In fact I'm feeling quite inspired by the list.
