Just had first phone consultation with rheumatologist

[jaybee58]

I have to have a face to face consultation with him but before this can happen he is sending me some blood tests to have done, which I assume I have done at my doctors. He said my ESR and CRP levels were raised when I had my first tests done and PMR diagnosis and my rheumatic levels were slightly raised. He wants to rule out rheumatoid arthritis.

Also said I have to be able to reduce down from my current level or 20mg pred, he wants me on 7.5 or as low as 4 if possible and has suggested a steroid injection in my bottom which is a much lower dose and should only have to be administered every 3 months and is successful with some patients who have problems reducing the tablet form of medication, if this doesn't work then he says there are other treatments that are available but it would be on a trial basis.

Has anyone had these quarterly injections for PMR and if so any information would be appreciated as I have googled but couldn't find anything much on there.

Also if it is rheumatoid arthritis is that better or worse than PMR, I really don't know anything about it.

Many thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

tangocharlie has been having the depot medrone steroid injections for some time. They worked well for a while but she is having problems at present. Another former member, Admiral 06 also managed his PMR with the injections and did a lot of investigation into how they released the steroid.

healthunlocked.com/user/tan...

healthunlocked.com/user/Adm...

[piglette]

I don’t understand why he is worrying about you not taking tablets like the majority of people do. If he wants you to reduce at that pace I would definitely ensure you have the steroid injections lined up before you do. If it is found not to be PMR, you could then slowly reduce the pred.