Update Belated telephone call: GPrang to say my... - PMRGCAuk

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Update Belated telephone call

Suffererc profile image
24 Replies

GPrang to say my markers are low. My potassium is low most prob due to Steroids. We need to get you off Pred ASAP. You have been on them a long time .

Am currently on 1.5 / 1 .

am to have blood test in 6 weeks .

What about the hip pain I asked about - Not a mention.

Now what to do. Think will leave till after Xmas cos they busy and see if it goes on its own 🤔

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Suffererc
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24 Replies
SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

I think that side effects from this tiny dose would be negligible, especially if they are holding your symptoms at bay. I would seek another medical opinion.

Bananas are a good source of potassium I believe.

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toSheffieldJane

yes and avacado and salmon. I meat all 3 . 😊

piglette profile image
piglette

GPs are becoming next to useless in my opinion. You can’t talk to them, they don’t reply and they are never in the surgery.

SnazzyD profile image
SnazzyD

1-1.5mg is tiny, even my rabidly reducing doctors stopped worrying at that point . I’d be surprised if it is enough to affect your potassium greatly, but I’m not an expert. Chug those bananas. Has your potassium been previously low?

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toSnazzyD

I think it has as long as I have been on Pred. Perhaps before. Perhaps that’s just me. I will look up the results later and put on here 😊

moonieboy9358 profile image
moonieboy9358 in reply toSuffererc

R u on any water pills or any possible other medications that would decrease your potassium? I would ask your chemist

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply tomoonieboy9358

no only pred. Another phone call today t discuss USS results and another blood test booked for a weeks time. So will ask. 😊

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

"We need to get you off Pred ASAP. You have been on them a long time"

And as you well know - that has NOTHING to do with the price of butter, Nor, I venture to suggest, at that dose does it have a lot to do with the potassium level! How low is it?

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toPMRpro

I will look later and put on here for you to interpret if you don’t mind. I don’t know what they mean 😊

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toSuffererc

don’t really understand but 5.5 was the potassium level.

Everything was border line.

HDL cholesterol was 2.2

LDL 2.4

😊

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toSuffererc

If your potassium is 5.5 then that is slightly high - NOT low. It is also the sort of thing to be expected in adrenal insufficiency and getting you off pred would be likely to make that worse ...

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toPMRpro

she may not have said potassium. All the results were out of range but I can’t decipher them. More blood booked for a weeks time. They sent appointment today. Don’t know what for. Doc said yesterday blood test in 6 weeks when ‘she says’ I will be off Pred 🤣😂🤣😂 hope I am but doubt it. Only reducing by .5

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toSuffererc

Not wanting to rain on your parade but if you try to get from where you are to zero in 6 weeks you really could be asking for trouble. That is loads to keep adrenal function hovering on the borderline - and LOADS to keep low level PMR under wraps. The lower, the slower ...

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toPMRpro

I think doc thinks once to get to 1 mg you can just ✋🏼 stop. I looked at my notes and that is what she wrote.

tempusfugi profile image
tempusfugi in reply toSuffererc

Sometimes one thinks I wish some of these GPs knew what we are going through. I know they are not all like that and I have a great deal of sympathy for overworked GPs, at the moment, but a little empathy wouldn't go amiss.

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply totempusfugi

Neither would a little bit of common sense, and maybe more knowledge of long term Pred and adrenals….

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toDorsetLady

I have just had another call from GP re a recent USS. I asked her if it was ok to take extra Pred when I go to Switzerland tomorrow as if my painful hips are a flare I could up the dose. Her reply . Of course but try not to increase. Your inflammatory makers for PMR are low.

So I can if it gets worse and if there is an improvement it is PMR . 😊

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply toSuffererc

? 😳

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toSuffererc

She's welcome to her view!!!! And can keep it to herself ...

Rache profile image
Rache

I’m no expert but on googling ‘potassium 5.5’ it seems to be at the high end of the normal range!

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toRache

that’s what I thought. There are a few thing that are out or ref range. She must have said something else. I am hard of hearing and that is the trouble with tel consultations 😊

HalleysComet profile image
HalleysComet

This is the reason they have practice managers. You should write to the practice manager and say you are hard of hearing, so need to have a face to face consultation. Ask them to arrange an appointment so you do not have to use the phone.

Suffererc profile image
Suffererc in reply toHalleysComet

they already know. But far tooooo busy for face to face 😊

HalleysComet profile image
HalleysComet in reply toSuffererc

oh boo!

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