Had aches and pains in joints and raised ESR and CRP levels. After many discussions with GP, he decided I have Polymyalgic Rheumatica. I said i didnt think i did as the stiffness and aches had improved by 80% with no treatment within 6 weeks. Now i just have minimal aching muscles but am building them up after not using them when i was stiff.
I asked if it could have been reactive arthritis instead, as i have had a very bad bowel for the last 6 weeks after holiday, he said no absolutely not. Bowel infection does not cause raised inflammatory levels.
My body is telling me that he is wrong, but he is adamant that Pred is the way forward. I finally persuaded him to have some stool samples taken and will complete them in next few days.
My query is, do you trust your body talking to you or what GP's say. He said PMR can ebb and flow without treatment and that i am just in the ebb stage.
Im uncertain. Can anyone shed some light please
Written by
worrier62
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Don't quote me - but I think he's a bit of a plonker!! In fact - I would query where he learned his medicine!
PMR doesn't really cause aches and pain in joints - around joints maybe and it can be difficult to distinguish between that, Nor does it ebb and flow like that - I think it DOES ebb and flow but not as markedly as he is claiming.
Was the bowel problem proven to be an infection? A bacterial bowel infection is a common trigger for reactive arthritis and it does raise CRP and if CRP is raised, ESR usually is too/
And this is a download so I can't provide a simple link for this German paper:
"Gastroenteritis and infection markers: Significant increase of C-reactive protein in salmonellosis"
If I were you, I would be seeking a different GP. Preferably in a different practice but certainly worth seeing someone else if you can in the current practice and expressing your concerns. Nicely - don't be aggressive but tell them what he is claiming.
Thank you, thats what i was thinking. I think he reads off notes and at the end of my last appointment, when i said i was querying whether it was PMR, he said "well what do you want to do next?" total waste of time being there. Once again thank you
Um - see someone who knows what they are talking about? Preferably a rheumatologist who is likely to consider the likelihood this is something other than PMR, And since you are fairly good at present, without having taken pred unless you really need it. That does make it simpler for the specialist if pred isn't clouding the view.
Hmm - might have to ask for advice on the forum. People in easy-ish reach of London or willing to travel are easy. Lincolnshire was a bit of a desert ...
Quick question; have you have a Covid booster anytime prior to getting the stiffness and aches? The boosters are known to cause a form of PMR in some people, but it's much shorter duration than the normal PMR.
It's possible that if you've had a booster then it's caused a flare up with very PMR like symptoms, but now they are settling as your body adjusts.
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PMR - prednisolone - arthritis - other symptoms.
Tapering advice needed 
finished prednisolone 2 weeks back, still aching
Bowel inflammation - any link to PMR/GCA?
More advice needed please 
