Rheumy appt today

[Marcy47]

Just back from my 2nd Rheumy appt, (should have been Feb! for which she apologised). She was pleased that I have managed to get down from 10mg to 9mg Pred since last Oct, but had not heard of Vit K2 being used for PMR.

Then she wanted me to have 2 blood tests, one to measure Calcium levels and the other for PTH, (Parathyroid Hormone?), which had to be at the lab within 4 hrs, which was arranged there and then. She is thinking I may have Hyperparathyroidism, which would cause aches and pains when I try to decrease the Pred dose. The only cure for that is an operation to remove the Parathyroid. She wants me to stop taking Calcium supplement but continue with Vit D and wants me to stay at 9mg Pred for 1 month and then try and decrease by 1mg a month and see how it goes. Try and bear it for a week at each decrease if the pain returns before going back up. Thanks.

Now all I have to do is get rid of the Sciatica!! Think I'll have some chocolate to cheer myself up.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Um - K2 isn't used for PMR, it is to help prevent osteoporosis, useful when on pred. So you can excuse her...

Interesting to see about your calcium/PTH. It is something that should be monitored - raised calcium is rarely due to anything else and GPs should monitor patients while on pred.

[Marcy47 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi PMRpro,

I was telling her that K2 is used to help bones absorb calcium while on Pred, have I got that right? She did say that my last test for Calcium in March showed almost normal readings, so she wants to double check what is happening now.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marcy47]

Correct ...

[jinasc]

Did she do a Vitamin D test, because if you are deficient in Vit D it causes aches and pains just like pmr and it is an exclusion test which should be done and corrected before they make the diagnosis of PMR.

So get that Vit D test done.

400 units per day will do nothing. The maintenance dose once you are at the correct level is 1000 units per day.

I buy them at Boots, £5.10 for 90 tablets and have taken them now for nearly six years.

I had to have 40,000 units per day for a month, another blood test, then 20,000 a day for two weeks, another blood test and bingo at the right level and it has stayed there with the maintenance dose.

[Marcy47 in reply to jinasc]

Not sure if my GP included Vit D in all my blood tests, I will check my records on-line. How much is a unit of Vit D?, I take 1 multi-vitamin a day that contains 20micrograms and I have pills from Holland and Barrett that contain 10micrograms.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marcy47]

10 micrograms is 400 IU. You are taking 1200 IU - so that is OK. I doubt a GP in the UK will request vit D routinely. But if you are deficient - even 1200 IU is not really enough.

[SnazzyD in reply to PMRpro]

I don't know, I think things may be changing; I was always taking bloods for Vit D, after patients had been to the GP for aches and pains, fatigue, fuzzy brain, old age....

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

You must have had a good practice. Still a load of disbelievers...

[jinasc in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for that, I knew you would pick it up............I have no idea how to work maths out at all.

Not had more than a few minutes at a time been busy with Aussies, Nephew visitors and. No Susan.

[Marcy47]

Will check with my GP. Thank you.