Why does Dr. want to change my diagnosis?
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hey all, I’m so glad you are all here to come to for support. It means that I have some people in the world who understand.
I wonder why my rheum. Dr. is trying to convince me that the pain I’m feeling is fibromyalgia. Why is he changing his diagnosis from Polymyalgia to Fibromyalgia? Here’s what I want to tell him: I’ve had fibro for 30 years and know what it feels like. Then about 3 years ago I got this extra pain, a firey pain in my shoulders, arms, hips, legs. My general dr. sent me to you (Dr. P.) about it, and when you gave me the pamphlet on PMR, the symptoms exactly fit this new pain. I was thankful for knowing what it was. And then the prednisone helped me right away.
At the beginning my SED was 45. That was when I was not being treated. With pred. it went down to 20. Then as I tried to reduce the pred. it went up bit by bit, and then I had pneumonia and the inflammation was much higher. Since then I’ve tried to reduce the pred gradually, but then at 13mg I had a flare up. I went back up to 15. At 15mg my SED is still high at 40 when I took a test last week. I am in so much pain! I sleep a lot to get away from the pain, which I know is not good.
Is it true that this is fibromyalgia, and I‘m wrong to think it is PMR? Why does he want to change the diagnosis? Just to get me to stop the prednisone? What do you all think?
0 likes, 7 replies
constance.de DebbieHurts
Posted
I'm no expert (they will advise later), but you certainly have got PMR in my opinion. If you have had fibro for 30 years you will know more about it than your rheumy ever has. Listen to your body - if it is telling you that you have PMR, then it is probably right (especially if you have an elevated SED). All you have to do is convince your rheumy, or preferably get a new one!
All the best.
Constance 💐
Flutterbie57 DebbieHurts
Posted
lodgerUK_NE Flutterbie57
Posted
Your GP does not 'think' he 'knows', Fibro does not respond to pred at all. PMR does.
You have a good GP, stick with him.
DebbieHurts
Posted
lodgerUK_NE DebbieHurts
Posted
He might just have a moment.
penelope10875 DebbieHurts
Posted
I finally saw a Rheumy after 3 years of PMR, he said that my PMR had 'gone' because my sed rates had been low for a long time, and that the pain I still feel is arthritis and I should stop the steroids a.s.a.p. I know the diference between the arthritis pain (bone) and PMR (Muscles) ! ! The silly thing is that I didn't question it at the time.
I've had more help and advice on here than I've had from any Dr and am doing it 'our' way. Down to 8mgs, a little 'muscle' pain to buttocks, but not bad. My arthritic feet are killing me!
lodgerUK_NE penelope10875
Posted
It works like WD40. I use it on my knees and found the joints on my hands had improved and wondered why, I then realised it was the gel as you put it on and then have to wait 10 minutes before moving - ergo the gel was on my hands for those 10 minutes before I washed them. Worth a shot?