Poly or fibro?

[billinSurbiton]

Hi again..some NEW symptoms have begun to pop around---- oh joy!

Initially, my GP diagnosed me with polymyalgia, due to the weakness and pain in my arms, deltoids (shoulders) hips and thighs, numbness in fingers, ect...

In the past few days a series of what I call "electric patches" have acted up on me; there is a line running down my right side, which is quite sensitive and feel as if it is being zinged by electric shock, even if lightly touched. Even the water spray of the shower hurts this region. It's not severe pain, but it's enough to notice. Other patches like this have erupted at the base of my spine, the right side of my butt, and a few other smaller patches. I thought (and the GP wondered) that this might be a symptom of Fibromyalgia, rather than PMR, but I am clueless really, concerning both. There is a prominent history of autoimmune disease in my family, with my sister fighting Sarcoidosis for a few years now; also a raft of Aunties who were wheelchair bound, with what (we think) was Myasthenia Gravis.

...Ah well.. and a happy Wednesday to you!

--Bill

[Soraya_PMR]

Initial thought: shingles? I suggest this as you describe a clear one sided effect. But if your GP has looked at it, doubtful.

For many years I’ve had a patch of what I call extreme hypersensitivity on the front of my left thigh. Kind of circular, 5” across. When it hurts I cannot bear to touch it, can’t wear jeans, keep the bed clothes off it. It’s kind of zingy, superficial, and painful if touched. 99% of the time it is quite normal. It took me some years to correlate this thigh pain was a prelude to a virus of some kind. Maybe three days of thigh pain, followed by a cold or something. Cold comes out, thigh pain goes. I’ve often wondered if there’s some dormant virus kipping in this particular nerve branch? I bet if I ever get shingles, it’ll effect this bit! Probably not relevant to you, just an idea.

[Rose54]

Hi

I had what i called electric shocks on one side of buttocks for while .really painful just like a electric shock lasted a few months than went.

I also get very tender down right side if i touch it much one day the next day it will be more tender .

GP unable to explain any of it

[SheffieldJane]

Melissa ( mamaci) has been talking to me about Peripheral Neuropathy recently and I think your pain sounds similar to mono -Neuropathy I think it was called that, it effects the trunk of the body. I hope it isn’t that because it’s quite serious. I was unable to attach a link to an article I read after googling. This is me rushing in where angels fear to tread, but has your doctor looked at it as a possibility?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think that I would ask my GP to refer me asap to a rheumatologist - I'm far from sure what you describe fits happily with "just" PMR and I doubt a GP would be competent to differentiate.

Numbness in fingers isn't directly PMR - although carpal tunnel syndrome is often found and it can cause that.

However - fibro pain will not respond to pred at all. PMR pain will. But there are other causes of "fibro" type symptoms.

[billinSurbiton in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your answer; I’m going to a rheumatologist in a few weeks. Many symptoms DID clear up when I started the prednisone— but not the fingers. Oddly, it seems that the Gabapentin has the best effect on my hands. I could play piano again once I started on that 🤷🏻‍♂️

Thanks again 🙏🏼