Well.....

[Allcraft]

I finally had my urgent gastroscopy!! Nothing sinister thank goodness, few problems and one is candida( thrush) down Oesophagus. I did some googling and it can cause severe aches in joints!!!!(One GP I saw not convinced I had PMR) Anyway I've started on gluten & dairy free diet...what a difference. Tapering off steroids myself and down to 5.5mg Prednisolone, doing my own thing now as no further follow ups or bloods with GPs, fed up chasing everything. Feeling positive at last.

[fmkkm]

Hi Allcraft,Nice the gluten/dairy free diet is working. It’s important to pay close attention to what makes our particular body feel better or worse!

How are you handling the esophageal thrush?

And, don’t feel badly about handling your own taper, I pretty much handle mine, since I’m reasonable I guess the doc goes along.

[Allcraft in reply to fmkkm]

Thank you for reply...I'm doing ok, been prescribed Flucanazole which I'm taking for 2 weeks. Can't believe the difference changing diet has made, no chocolate for two weeks 😳 Will drop to 5mg next week. X

[Fimckenz]

Hi Allcraft, can I ask what your symptoms were which led to the Candida diagnosis. I am waiting for an ultra sound for long term stomach, acid reflux, pain etc.

[Allcraft in reply to Fimckenz]

Certainly, I had a history of ulcers and sliding hiatus hernia and was still put on Alodronic acid ( since been stopped) and steroids for PMR ...I had awful chest pains when eating/ drinking and heartburn radiating through to back. Was drinking lots of milk to soothe but it was feeding it!!

[Nightingales]

Hi Allcraft. This is very interesting. I am glad you are feeling so much better. I had the same serendipitous finding on a gastroscopy for GERD. They just gave me the Fluconazole and sent me on my way. It never occurred to me that it might be associated with the muscle aches. My concern is how do you know if you have it again? It’s not visible and I didn’t have oesophageal symptoms. I eat natural yogurt and have a low sugar diet but I wonder often if it’s lurking there.

[Allcraft in reply to Nightingales]

I know same here put on Flucanazole and left to it! I've done a lot of googling and trying to cut out foods that "feed it". Will continue to try and get off steroids because they don't help candida either!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Allcraft]

They don't - but you will need pred as long as the underlying autoimmune part of PMR/GCA is still there. It's finding the balance as with so much in this journey.

[Allcraft in reply to PMRpro]

I know but drs not convinced I've got PMR which is a joke, because I've had no continuity and got no more appointments!! Going with the flow but being sensible and guided by what my body telling me x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Allcraft]

I've told Sarah Mackie - the greatest unmet need is for a reliable diagnostic test. Mind you - some of the arguments for "it isn't PMR" are the ones most of us would say are arguments for "it IS PMR"!