Having lived with PMR for almost 5 years, I really felt I understood this illness pretty well but I’m having different issues just now and am having pain around the midrib area, accompanied by Heart beat of around 140bpm and blood pressure of 205/95. This started a couple of months ago and I was taken toA&E and then to the AcuteCardiac Unit where I stayed for 6 days. My angiogram showed very clear arteries, ECG was OK, as was Echo Cardiogram. My blood tests showed low levels of troponin which is indicative of a heart attack but because all else was ok, I was sent home with no follow-up appointment needed. However, since that time, I have had several admissions to A&E with the same unexplained symptoms.
My concern is that I now find that the raised heart rate and BP rate is preventing me from sleeping and I feel really unwell. I’m currently on 6mg Pred and have stopped trying to reduce but really wonder whether the PMR could be causing this. My GP has tried me on sleeping tablets and low dose diazepam and wants me to start an antidepressant. I know that PMR and Pred affect the adrenal glands so before I go down that route, I’m wondering whether could have been the cause of the heart rate/BP issues.
It probably isn’t connected but, knowing the amount of other issues which other PMR sufferers have experienced, I thought I should ask.
I’m really sorry that this post is a bit long- winded but my quality of life has been really adversely affected and so Im trying to find some answers.
Thank you for your patience.
Jan