speech problems

[Lemon1967]

I am having some speech slowness and articulation problems. I am 55 and have had PMR for three years

I have an excellent GP and I am on 4mg predsat moment plus 800mg of ibrofren.

Anyone got any suggestions to help it settle.

[piglette]

If you are taking steroids you should not really be taking Ibuprofen too. Is there any reason you are taking it?

When you say you are having speech problems, did it suddenly happen? I think I would visit your doctor for a check up.

[SnazzyD]

Hello, I have a host of questions. Have you spoken to your doctor? I would definitely do so as they might well want to do a head scan for example. How long have you had it and did it come on suddenly? Why are you on 800mg Ibuprofen? It isn’t the main stay for treatment of PMR. How is your PMR at the moment? Anything else going on?

[Lemon1967 in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi Snazzy I am almost in daily contact with my GP by WhatsApp and regular blood tests .As I live in Jersey C. I so I am very lucky. I have other muscular problems and have had lot of menopause problems. We have worked together and it may be stress response. I just wondered if people had tips. Thank you so kind of you to respond. We have got rid of a lot of the pain with my GP constantly monitoring me. He needs a medal.

[SnazzyD in reply to Lemon1967]

It is difficult to comment if you don’t give more information, for example, “muscular problems” covers a vast area. Speech delay and slowness doesn’t come with the PMR list and to me just calling it a stress response or menopause seems a bit lax. Unless this is a properly investigated symptom it should be checked.

If you have PMR, the whole point is not just to get rid of the pain, it is to get rid of the inflammation and the loss of pain is a wonderful by product. Ibuprofen deals with only one sort of inflammation and if you have other types (usually the case with PMR/GCA) you can have damaging inflammation elsewhere that isn’t causing pain right now, like large vessel vasculitis or GCA, a step up from PMR.

Ibuprofen, especially on this big daily dose carries a warning with Pred and the GP should know that. At least you should be on some stomach protection meds. Blood tests don’t tell the doctor everything either, there’s a limit to what blood tests yield.

Now I’m sticking my neck out here because I’m worried. My first thought from the tiny description that you haven’t elaborated on was a possible stroke possibly caused by a small cerebrovascular event from the heaps of Ibuprofen you’ve been taking. Or you possibly have a muscular condition, not PMR, that has a neurological connection. Or you have wider spread vasculitis that needs a higher dose of Pred, including the one that affects the head, GCA that can cause strokes. Prior to my diagnosis with GCA I kept losing specific words and completely forgetting what I was talking about. Again, that is sticking my neck out with scant information but I am concerned that your daily contact with the GP is making you feel cared for when perhaps they need to be a bit more enquiring or explain clearly their justification not looking further. Unfortunately we can’t say, “yes that’s PMR” and give you tips on how to deal with it. I hope this doesn’t sound harsh as things can do on the page.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

And I agree with everything Snazzy has said - it was what I first thought when I read your post too.

Have you had Covid? I have a friend with similar problems which is a neurological leftover from having a relatively mild dose of Covid.

[SnazzyD in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I forgot about covid. I thought I was getting early dementia after covid for months.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

My friend has deteriorated in the meantime - she realised coordination was gone when they came to Austria skiing in February. Has had to stop driving and is doing speech therapy. Just so happens the daughter is a speech therapist so they are considering getting a bungalow nearer to her down south though I don't imagine their house in Shotley Bridge will finance a bungalow in the south!

[Sophiestree in reply to SnazzyD]

Excellent post

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Lemon1967]

Agree with SnazzyD and PMRpro-further investigation required -and WhatApp’s -no matter how often doesn’t replace F2F consultation..especially when speech is concerned.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I echo Snazzy - this is something that must be investigated thoroughly as there are so many potential underlying causes and they don't really include PMR. It isn't something to ignore. Off to the GP with you.

[Lemon1967 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you please see the above reply. I do feel like I am constantly disturbing my GP but he has trained me to do this

[Lemon1967]

Seems like it's more a GP matter but thank you for taking the time to reply.

[Body_bonkers]

Sorry but I really think you need to get a second option from another GP - you should not be getting those symptoms with PMR or menopause