Does any one find doctors reluctant to think symp... - PMRGCAuk
Does any one find doctors reluctant to think symptons are unrelated if bloods are ok ?
Hi 5lupins,
My GP and Rheumatologist both dismiss my symptoms if my blood results are normal, although I may feel absolutely awful - makes me feel it is all in the mind.
Tomasina x
Hi 5lupins,
Unfortunately, dIfferent medics seem to have different views on blood readings. Not much help to the patient though.
My previous GP (who didn't diagnose my PMR/GCA during 18months of visits) was apt to go into panic mode if my bloods readings were slightly raised. Understandable I suppose as through her mis-diagnosis I'd already lost sight in one eye, whereas my present GP (older and maybe wiser) doesn't place too much credence on the individual readings. He's much more interested in my symptoms first and foremost, and then looks at the readings. His view us that abnormal readings can be caused by a number of factors, not just PMR/GCA. And visa, versa, a normal reading doesn't necessarily mean everything is okay.
Sorry my answer is not much help to you, but YOU know how YOU feel, and no, it's not all in the mind! Could you see another GP in the same surgery, and maybe get a different view - difficult I know sometimes, but maybe worth a try. Good luck, DorsetLady
There are still too many GP's who think raised inflammation markers are the be-all and end-all of any rheumatic/autoimmune condition. Although I, with bloods which stubbornly refuse to go anywhere above 'normal', had a hard job getting a diagnosis, once diagnosed I did get some wonderful treatment.
DorsetLady's GP has it the right way round, and even if you have to burst into tears you have to make the doctor understand just how bad it all is otherwise nothing is accomplished. As she says, perhaps a different GP in the practice might be better?
I was going to just the same as polkadotcom!
At a research meeting the other day one of the rheumys involved in a big PMR study was waxing lyrical about doctors who are focused on lab results, he said he never bothers even looking at them. They may be of value - but only ever subordinate to the symptoms the patient is experiencing. And to do anything other is, in my opinion, tantamount to calling the patient a liar. So if it means you feel like death warmed up with the symptoms and they ignore you because the bloods are "normal" I think it's time to seek another doctor. Like pdc I've never had a raised acute inflammatory phase reactant even when I couldn't get out of bed, pred worked its miracle in 6 hours. The rheumy was intransigent, my usual GP was panic stricken at the idea of giving pred with no abnormal bloods - another GP said she was happy enough it was PMR - and anyway, it responded to pred very nicely, that was enough for her.
5lupins and Tomasina,
Any Medic including GP's and Consultants, who refuse to listen to the patients symptoms are not worth your time or effort for a visit. Change them.
Most definitely. I was initially diagnosed with pmr on 10th April this year by a very symptom-lead GP who put me on steroids straight away which worked within 36 hours. A stumbling block came when he wanted me off pred in 18 days and I went right back to square one with pain and stiffness at the first taper. I saw my named GP on the follow-up who dismissed the diagnosis and it took me bursting into tears of frustration to persuade her to keep me on pred (albeit again on an 18-day tapering program) All my bloods have been totally normal. I saw another locum yesterday who, because of my age (49) is referring me to a rheumatologist. I'm just hoping and praying that I see someone who goes by a patient's symptoms and not if the patient ticks the boxes or not. At least the GP I saw yesterday has now put me on the recognised pred tapering regimen in the mean time. I wish you luck, and hope that you, like me, have found great comfort in this wonderful support group xx
Yes, my internist said I should have no pain if my csr was normal, so I switched to a rheumy who says he treats many people whose sed rate has gone back to normal but they still can get bad pain.
