do doctors know what they are talking about

[kingharold11]

I doubt it I had polymyalgia for a long time and a consultant at the hospital finally pronounced me cleared so I could go away and not have to be seen by anybody at the hospital. However I have stayed on the dose I was on 2 1/2 but slowly I have developed a few aches and pains which I don't know are related or not I have some backache which comes and goes and a painful elbow which is with me most of the time. Nothing to see just a pain

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Good question...asked many times! Answer...who knows?!

At 2.5mg I would think your aches and pains are just that...relating to our more mature status 😏.

As you say, nothing to see, just a pain! But just monitor things, and obviously if they become more PMR like then the doctor may be proved wrong. I hope not!

[SheffieldJane]

Unfortunately PMR doesn’t exempt us from the other aches and pains of life, however your elbow pain sounds quite specific, tennis elbow? I would try my GP again about that one. I too hope your PMR is definitely in remission 2.5 mgs sounds a million miles away to me.

[piglette]

My father, a hospital consultant, broke his arm and did not diagnose it, I was able to say what the problem was over the phone!! Doctors are not infallible.

[HeronNS]

I have aches and pains which are definitely not PMR, although as some may have been caused by pred there is a relationship. It's the old osteoarthritis acting up again. Yesterday I had a killer headache and the painkillers I took for that made the rest of me feel fine, if a bit woozy, except for whatever has happened to my upper arms, steroid myopathy?

[rbecich]

Doctors make an educated guess as to what is wrong with you based on their education and experience. Just remember that is all it is "an educated guess." They make plenty of mistakes. I give my primary care doctor credit for sometimes saying "I don't know what is wrong with you" and will send me to someone who might know. Too many of them will pretend they know.

[Ronswife]

Both my elbows hurt with flares. Can be PMR.