Just had my dexascan

[MiloCollie]

Had the scan an hour ago. Easy peasy. Knocked on the door of the rhuem nurse lead as I was leaving just to say hi. I’ve known her for 30 yrs in different parts of the local NHS. it was lovely to see her but even lovelier that she jumped straight onto my records and ran through a few blood results and my dexascan results from 10 mins previous. The main message she gave me was try to get off the steroids ASAP within symptoms and keep a diary of how I feel/ symptoms when tapering. I’m seeing the consultant in sep with all different results at which point he’ll prob give me a diagnosis. Feel a bit better about things now. Down to 10 mg pred today. Hope you’re all surviving this heat! Best wishes.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"The main message she gave me was try to get off the steroids ASAP within symptoms"

I know she's a friend - but what on earth makes them in general think we don't attempt to get of pred asap, we really don't WANT to be on it. And their pushing hard all too often achieves the opposite.

[Koalajane in reply to PMRpro]

I went to my eye clinic yesterday for laser treatment, I got some strange comments from the consultant. Her first comment was that I looked very healthy for a diabetic. To put icing on the cake she said my problem was not helped by the steroids, could I not just stop taking them! I know she was not a rheumatologist but her medical training should have taught her something of this

[Highlandtiger in reply to Koalajane]

Good grief! So wrong, on so many levels...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

I know a lot of very healthy looking diabetics - what a bizarre comment! And given that here people who diabetology usually have an endocrinology background - you would think that even if she didn't know owt about PMR, she might realise that just stopping pred isn't that easy. And that it would be a good move to ask the patient WHY they are on pred ...

[Koalajane in reply to PMRpro]

I did wonder why she would think diabetics didn’t look healthy!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

Especially one on pred ...

[MiloCollie in reply to PMRpro]

I know! I just smiled politely.

[SheffieldJane]

The diary idea is good. I am finding my symptoms hard to read. I am glad it was a positive experience for you.

[ignatz in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have been running a digital PMR diary for a few years. Still to perfect it so that I can easily read the patterns.

[ignatz]

Good luck with 'get off steroids'!

[MiloCollie in reply to ignatz]

Ha ha I know. I don't care how long I am on pred as long as it's the right treatment and I'll reduce at my own pace and I know my GP will back me up on that.

[Bcol in reply to MiloCollie]

Exactly my feelings as well.