? Polymyalgia or something else ?

Do you have a question related to an arthritis condition that doesn't fit in any of the other boards? Perhaps you're living with spondylitis, spondylosis, rheumatica, polymyalgia, fibromyalgia or something else we've not covered? Your questions and discussions can be posted here.

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jabax1824
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Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:18 am
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by jabax1824 on Mon Oct 08, 2018 2:11 pm

? Polymyalgia or something else ?

Back in 2008 my GP diagnosed polymyalgia and put me on steroids which improved things within a week, but I had side effects (My ESR level was 59 and then came down to 35 and is still high apparently). 18 months later, a new, younger GP weaned me off steroids and said I was too young to have polymyalgia (I was 52). Since then I have regained all the pain and stiffness, but my GP attributes this to my Hashimoto's disease and osteoarthrtis. I have confirmed osteoarthritis in my feet and hands (injections did not work on my hand pains), but still get all over joint pain, and struggle to move in a morning and after sitting for a while. Even my elbows are now painful but I have painful feet, hands, hips, knees and just about everywhere! It seems to move around, so not everywhere is painful on the same day! I have recently had bilateral pulmonary emboli so am on anticoagulant treatment. The only painkillers I have been told I can take are paracetamol, and they do not touch the pain (although I try not to take anything at all if I can manage). Not sure what is going on here, but am convinced this will get worse as I age. I am now 61 and have taken early retirement so want to be able to enjoy it!

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Dr Sandeep Bawa
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Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2016 12:10 pm
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by Dr Sandeep Bawa on Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:57 am

Re: ? Polymyalgia or something else ?

hi,

looks like you need a fresh look at your symptoms.

early morning stiffness around the shoulder +/- pelvic area which improves as the day goes on is typical of PMR.

Did you get a fantastic response to steroids?

Consider speaking to your GP again/second opinion.

Thanks

Sandeep
Dr Sandeep Bawa
Consultant Rheumatologist - MBChB, MRCP, MSc (Sports Exercise Medicine)
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... p_bawa.php

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Matthew Rogers
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:01 pm
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by Matthew Rogers on Tue Oct 09, 2018 1:34 pm

Re: ? Polymyalgia or something else ?

Currently, there is no definitive cure for arthritis, however, it is important to remember that the symptoms won’t necessarily continue to get worse by themselves and there are loads of things that you can do in order to improve the symptoms of the condition, depending on how they are affecting you personally.

When you have had pain for a number of years, it is often referred to as ‘persistent pain’. In persistent pain conditions such as arthritis, the pain nerves can become a little more sensitive, which means that they may trigger off a little easier than normal. You could think of this as a sensitive car alarm that goes off in error when someone walks past and it is thought that this is the reason that some people find their pain gets worse when the weather changes.

It might be that asking your GP to refer you to a specialist pain management clinic might help. They may be able to suggest a new medication or combination of medications that might work better for you. They might also be able to offer other strategies you can use in order to help you to manage your symptoms such as advice on how to keep active, exercises and stretches, learning to pace your activities so that you don’t trigger a flare-up of your pain as well as setting goals and priorities which may help you to maintain a fulfilling lifestyle.

If your current treatment plan is not managing your symptoms, having an annual review with your GP or rheumatologist regarding the effectiveness and tolerability of your current treatment is considered to be best practice and it might be worth asking for this.

For more information on persistent pain, visit: https://www.iosteopathy.org/osteopathy- ... tent-pain/
Matthew Rogers
Head of Professional Development, the Institute of Osteopathy

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... rogers.php

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