Help please for a friend: I need to understand PMR better . . .

[Poppy_the_cat]

I myself am Hashimotos Thyroid, amongst other things. I always read the PMR posts with interest. However, I would still like to benefit from the experience of others please.

In an attempt to understand it better, I Googled and came up with this amongst other things.

"Signs and symptoms include headaches, jaw pain, vision problems and scalp tenderness. If left untreated, this condition can lead to stroke or blindness.18 Jun 2020".

From my own experience, doctors seem to 'home in' on one diagnosis and not consider anything else as though the whole issue of being 'unwell' is a linear state where everything follows straight lines!!

Yes, my friend has atrial fibrillation; high blood pressure; macular degeneration in her left eye for which she is having injections into the eye itself, at the eye hospital. Rheumatoid arthritis in her shoulder, left side. She recently had a parathyroid operation to remove one parathyroid gland. As a result she is now on a raft of medications for heart and blood pressure and even antidepressants. However, since the parathyroidectomy, coupled with shortly after all these medications, she is feeling catastrophic.

There are several issues to be considered, as one very knowledgeable member here pointed out, 30% of patients post Parathyroidectomy can become 'hyperthyroid', which could account for her symptoms... I feel there might be something else lurking in the wings so to speak?? 🙄

We all feel she is somewhat over medicated... And one conscientious GP is doing his best to reduce or change medications to see if she can feel any better.

Of course when you read the paperwork that accompanies all these medications the long list of possible side effects apart from being awful, will inevitably list "possible digestive upset, nausea, headaches, general aches and pains" to name but a few... But the headaches in the past two or three weeks have become overwhelming. She wakes with a blinding headache that lasts all day and just starts to improve by around late after 5 to 6pm... Pretty much now every day! Some of the doctors are so unsympathetic it's appalling!

I must say there is a certain attitude amongst some in the profession that old people just have to accept this poor quality of life! Not all drs, by any means, but some definitely.

I'm just wondering whether she might even possibly have PMR??

With everything else she is dealing with... The stress over her health, her eyesight issues and family stresses of divorced in-laws withholding contact with her great grandchild, she has a lot to deal with. The Dr even believes she has had a breakdown...

If she were to have PMR underpinning everything else, that would be almost the last straw... But I just can't help wondering with all the medication she is taking her 'progress' practically feels as if she going 'backwards' !!!

Does anybody have any personal observations that could possibly shed a glimmer of light ..

Anything?

Many thanks,

Poppy the 🐱

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Google gave you signs and symptoms of GCA - not PMR. If your friend has either it would seem more likely to be GCA - do the headaches respond to pain killers? There are many causes of headaches and that includes drug-related headaches and headaches due to stress. You could ask questions all day - but the people who can help best are probably her doctors.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As PMRpro said - you have pulled up the symptoms for GCA not PMR - see nhs link - nhs.uk/conditions/polymyalg...

But your friend need to be discussing with doctor, she seems to have a lot going on.

[Poppy_the_cat in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou. She certainly has a tangle of symptoms. Sadly between practice closure and changing to a new one, which incidentally has had the most appalling review, none of the doctors except one are taking any notice, just telling her she is unfortunate to have such a bad response to all to medications an she's just got to put up with it!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Poppy_the_cat]

Not good enough, so much for a caring profession! Sometimes I do wish doctors were on the receiving end - then there might be more compassion.

[Sophiestree in reply to DorsetLady]

I think you just hit the nail on the head there.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Sophiestree]

TY.., I’ll take that as a compliment…its not particularly easy for a one-eyed person (even when they are a Viking Goddess ) 😉

[Sophiestree in reply to DorsetLady]

Brilliant 😂