Confused about my daughters symptoms

[Chynnamoss]

My daughter is 37 and been feeling off colour for a while. Then she started getting aches and pains everywhere, her fingers and toes are turning white and blue and she hasn't had a period for two months. She's a community nurse which is demanding and I'm getting rather worried about her.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't think you are really in the right place for suggestions here - this is for people with PMR/GCA as you know. Those are not typical signs or symptoms of either and your daughter is also quite young for them to be considered - not that that is really the point.

However, the description you give of the fingers and toes are typical of Raynaud's syndrome which can be a sign of other connective tissue disorders and the aches and pains could fit with that. The lack of periods is a totally different matter. All could be due to another underlying autoimmune disorder though.

If she is a community nurse she should be well aware there is something not entirely right - I assume, however, that she, like far too many healthcare professionals when they are ill themselves, has her head firmly buried in the sand?

She needs to go to her GP and request a referral, probably to a rheumatologist - although there are a lot of things the GP could check out in the meantime such as thyroid problems which can cause both Raynauds and amenorrhoea, Has she any other symptoms? Such as feeling cold, weight gain, dry skin, broken nails?

[Chynnamoss in reply to PMRpro]

Hi, yes I did put this post in the wrong place and I persuaded her to go to our GP who ordered a battery of blood tests which she is waiting for the results of.

You're right one of the possibilities a thyroid problem and she does have Raynaud's so hopefully we should have some answers soon. She's very stubborn but has now done the right thing.

Thank you for your answer.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Chynnamoss]

Even if this wasn't the "right place" - we're all in this together to coin a phrase!

Do please let me know how she gets on. I too have a nurse daughter and a paramedic daughter. Who both regularly bury their heads in something to ignore what they KNOW is a problem!

[Chynnamoss in reply to PMRpro]

Thank pmr pro it's good to talk even if I got the wrong place.

My daughter Kate took her own blood and handed it in on Monday but hasn't heard from the GP and hasn't been able to get through to ask .

As she works on the community she was able to find her results on the computer which shows nothing but she's still not right so we'll have to follow it up.

The GP agrees she has Raynaud's and she has to go back anyway.

Seems we have things in common, I used to be a hca and my niece is also a nurse .