I have PMR and GCA diagnosed in March 2019. Still on prednisolone. I’m a female and I have both PMR and GCA.
My father was diagnosed with PMR in the early 1990s. My father died in 1999 but was still on prednisolone for the treatment of PMR when he died.
My brother was diagnosed with PMR in 2018. Still on prednisolone.
Does anyone else find that PMR / GCA runs in their family?
Linds
Yes , my father, brother and sister.
I just wish I knew what I now know when I was caring for my father.
What would you have done differently for your father?
Linds
I realise now that his dr knew very little about PMR. He was in constant pain which was put down to PMR and eventually turned out to be a crumbling hip joint. He was on pred for years without much improvement, ending up on morphine
From what I've learnt from the forum I would have been looking for another cause of the pain as I'd know that pred is the only thing to give relief from PMR. He spent his last 3 years in a wheelchair in constant pain.
Goodness me.... your poor father. I’m sorry he spent so long in pain.
Linds
Dad was very independant and had all faith in his dr who had been treating him for years before I joined the team. I don't think whatever I said would have changed what he did. People had more faith in their doctor's abilities in that generation.
There is a history of GCA and PMR in my family, so when I was diagnosed with GCA/ PMR it didn't come as a shock. My late mother had PMR when she was in her seventies. One of my younger sisters was diagnosed with GCA/ PMR when she was 60 and was still being treated for PMR at the time of her death from cancer at the age of 65. My other sister is 57 and is in good health. She is aware that she too may develop GCA/ PMR in future but it doesn't worry her unduly.
Yes, my mother has had PMR for years, still stuck on 5mg. A few years ago my uncle was diagnosed, and I have had it for 3 years. Auto-immune diseases seem to run in the family, we have various others eg Crohns
Never diagnosed as such but I am sure my maternal grandfather and a great aunt on my mother's mother's side had PMR.
Undiagnosed but I have suspicions that my maternal great grandmother had GCA, and lost her sight, my maternal grandmother PMR that went undiagnosed and symptoms put down to the effects of a significant car crash in the distant past. She was always in pain. No proof of course, just a gut feeling.
My maternal grandfather had GCA and PMR. I have PMR only, so far...
I believe that my grandmother and an older cousin (both deceased) had PMR but were not diagnosed. My brother (now age 91) was treated for GCA approx 25 years ago. Now he is very stiff, arms, shoulders, neck, hips etc. He and his current physician agree it is arthritis (rheumatism)... His mobility is compromised, however he is alert, hears well, remembers well so he says he has no complaints.
Yes my cousin and aunt had PMR/GCA. We also have under active thyroids in the family: I often wonder about previous generations that didn’t have the help we have, poor things . X
4 First Cousins Diagnosed in a Year!
Estrogen
PMR and Parkinson's Disease
PMR - prednisolone - arthritis - other symptoms.
