Fighting a Flare!

[Annodomini]

Last week I went to the GP for the results of the latest blood test which showed my CRP up to 26. Since then I have had increasing pain, especially in my arms and thighs. Today I had an appointment with the GP who does steroid injections because I also have osteoarthritis and tendonitis. He reviewed my blood test record and noted that my CRP had never gone right down to a normal level, except after the initial dose of 20mg of pred. He agreed that I was now having a flare and recommended going back up from 1mg to 5mg. Reluctantly I am doing just that and hope it will have the desired effect. He also agreed to inject my right shoulder which has a bit more than PMR!

[polkadotcom]

That really does seem to have been a very good appointment and you are also lucky in your doctor!

5mg is a very low dose, Annodomini, and any side effects should be virtually non-existent. To me it would seem to be better to go back to 5mg than struggle at 1mg and risk a very long flare which would take even higher doses to stamp on it.

As your inflammation markers don't appear to have gone back to normal, has GCA been suggested? Although of course it could be the tendonitis pushing them up, that does happen.

[SherryAnnie in reply to polkadotcom]

does tendonitis come with PRM as I have been having trouble for the last couple of weeks in both legs just above the back of my ankles which makes it very painful to walk

[polkadotcom in reply to SherryAnnie]

Yes, tendonitis can accompany PMR and Pred can sometimes affect the soft tissues.

You can stretch the Achilles tendons using any old wall, place your hands flat on the wall, take a step backwards on whichever leg is worst and then lean forward towards the wall keeping your extended foot flat on the floor (heel firmly placed on the floor) and hold for 20 seconds. . Take it slowly to begin with. nobody wants a ruptured tendon, but if you do it regularly it does help with walking.

[Annodomini]

Thanks Polkadot. There are no symptoms at all of CGA (touch wood). Rarely have a headache and long may that last! I'm hoping that 5mg will be enough to stabilise me so that I can begin to reduce again but not in a hurry!

[AkselOlsen]

Polkadot is there a difference of Crp in PMR and GCA?

[polkadotcom in reply to AkselOlsen]

AkselOlsen, I've never heard of any differences and I can't really see why there should be. Inflammation is inflammation whichever way you look at it and inflammation markers can be raised even for the common cold if the patient is sensitive. They are, as everyone will say, just guidelines and the results should be used in conjunction with clinical symptoms and examination.

They couldn't be applied to everyone's case generally as individuals are so different. There is also the 20% of cases where no raised markers are found although other PMR symptoms are classic. I know about that bit - I'm one of them.

[AkselOlsen in reply to polkadotcom]

Thank you. That,s what I thought too