Would live a diagnosis

[Tonysue]

Had been diagnosed with PMR for three years. Had a couple of falls and everything changed. Had fractured my sacrom and didn't know so walked through pain for ten months thinking it was PMR.. Prednisolone didn't help so gave it up carefully. Now I have lots of pain in shoulders,back and legs. Never have a good night's sleep, keep waking up stiff and in pain. Some times it's shoulders and arms, sometimes lower back and legs. Seems to move wherever it wants. It doesn't feel like my PMR did. Am very tired all the time as well. Can't walk my dog or garden as it's so painful. And STILL my blood does show any sign of the inflammation I have. Is there anybody who has similar symptoms. I am desperate to get my life on track. Am due to go to doctor's next week but not sure what he can do.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It sounds as if you could do with some serious imaging of your spine (MRI or CT with contrast in either case) and some different blood tests which probably your average GP isn't aware of. I'd say a rheumatologist first - though I have no doubt there is a considerable wait.

One in five people with PMR don't have raised ESR/CRP so that isn't too much to wonder about. But you can have pain from a lot of things besides PMR. And fatigue is typical of almost all autoimmune diseases.

Is your pain worse at night, especially the earlier part? Does the pain improve with movement?

[Tonysue in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for replying. Of course I meant love not live!

My pain is not worse at night. It keeps me awake and is I am very stiff and sore. I'm unable to move into a comfortable position. In the day it's pain rather than stiffness as at night. Sometimes I feel as though I've been thrown with force against a brick wall. I have a very painful neck on the left side and pins and needles which run down my arm when I move it a certain way. I could go on and on as there seems to be no pattern to it.

You've given me some comfort by saying 1in5 don't get a diagnosis from the blood test. Thank you.