Was diagnosed with GCA April this year...Pain and symptoms of GCA mainly head neck and shoulders. Also when I have been walking {very short distances} My thighs and knees feel like lead.
This morning I awoke to find it painful to turn over in bed and when I tried to Get out of bed my hips and lower back were so painful I could hardly move!!
Also ....I have had Gerd {Gord} for a few years now and occasionally experience painful eosophagial spasms. I experience a spasm a couple of days ago and it was rather frightening and very strong...lasted about 1.5 hours was debating whether was having a heart attack.. the point I am asking is would the likley hood of having GCA/PMR make these spasms worse or more frequent? Be interested to know if there is a link.
Thank you as always
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camerashy
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Started on 10 mg tapered down to 5 and then up to 6,
I have questioned my small dosage but the Rhuemy says that I am one of those people where a low dosage is sufficient....my last two bloods have come back no inflamation markers but these painful hips have knocked me back. can"t get a GP appointment until next week.
IF your dx was GCA then 10mg was never enough for safety. And since you now have PMR symptoms - the symptoms are saying that what you are on currently IS NOT ENOUGH. If this rheumy doesn't cough up with a more sensible dose then you need a new rheumy. Up to 20% of patients don't have raised markers - but it doesn't mean they can manage on a lower dose of pred.
Are they SURE it is GERD? Under the circumstances I would want a cardiology appointment - just in case.
Symptoms very similar to heart attack but don"t want to cry wolf...the first time I experienced the spasm I did call an ambulance...of course they told me what it wasn't...not what is was.
Never be afraid to ‘cry wolf’. The paramedics would prefer it, seriously, they will never moan about being called out on a false alarm.
I’ve called 999 a couple of times for hubby, when I was 99% sure his pain was due to gall stones; but when his lips turned blue I decided 1% doubt was sufficient. Obs and ECG later, the paramedics were sure it wasn’t an MI, but they took him to A&E anyway. Hubby was NOT pleased
Paramedics IMO. are some of the kindest, most patient, and understanding people. Much nicer than doctors and nurses LOL!!!
As PMRpro says if you have GCA then a starting dose of 10mg is virtually unheard of! Plus, just because you don’t have high bloods doesn’t mean you don’t have inflammation - your symptoms say you do.
I’m not aware that PMR/GCA cause GERD, but prednisolone can certainly cause gastritis/indigestion.
Are you taking plain pred (white) or gastric resistant (red or black)?
Are you on a stomach protector? Or taking other meds for your bones?
And for the record, I was diagnosed with PMR in April, and am on more than twice your current dose now. (Direct comparison never a good thing, but it gives you an idea).
It’s possible you were on lansoprazole anyway for the gerd? Personally I can’t take it (blew up like a barrage balloon with wind!). Plain pred did upset my tum. Enteric Coated taken with yogurt got that completely under control within the week.
Due to a ‘script error I have plain again, and tum not so happy. I’m going to try some empty EC capsules to put the pills in, just got to decide which size I need, anyone know?
Oh dear it does sound an awful lot like PMR - I remember that trying to turn in stages in bed.
I agree that oesophageal spasms are frightening, I had one and my OH called an Ambulance. I blamed the Omeprazole in the end. I stopped that and had not hint of those symptoms any more. So I concluded that the remedy for heartburn ( Pred induced) was worse, much worse than the symptom I took it for. If that makes sense.
I will have to look GERD up, I am married to Gord.
I know how extreme a reflux 'attack' can be - and I'm not sure if this is what you are equating with 'spasms' - but it can feel like a heart attack that's for sure !!
I also had GERD (or 'GORD') when I got a diagnosis of PMR/GCA and so was already taking a PPI - Lansoprazole- and had been for several years. Despite the experience of several others on this forum i have found it a very effective drug to control this problem - which is shared by all my siblings. I also have had no obvious side effects. I do however take a 'double dose' or 30mg twice a day as once a day did not give me complete control and I always still had a feeling of having a very 'tight' stomach. Regardless, I eat Greek yoghurt every morning before taking pred as the very first time I took it - it annoyed my stomach anyway. So if you can I would get the enteric coated version of pred which I cannot source in OZ.
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