Welcome to our new members - April 2024

[Fran_Benson]

Hello and welcome to all our new forum members.

We hope you've had a chance to look around and find answers to your questions. Here's a quick guide to get you up and running and a couple of key housekeeping rules to help you and the rest of the community.

1. Fill out your profile - let us know whether you have PMR or GCA (or both), how long you've been diagnosed, what gender you are, what country you're based in - these are the basics, do tell us any other relevant details. (And message to the longer standing members - if you haven't filled out your profile or it's out of date, please fill it in or update it now - thank you.) If you’re not sure what to put in your profile, please take a look at Mrs Nails’ healthunlocked.com/user/Mrs... and Dorset Lady’s healthunlocked.com/user/Dor...

2. Got a question? Before you post, check out the FAQs. You'll often find the question you want to ask has already been asked and there will be lots of replies to browse through. It's in the pinned post section or you can find it here healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

3. Remember that we are not doctors and that no advice or information you read here should replace the advice given to you by your own clinician. If you are worried about your symptoms, do consult your doctor.

4. Read our guidelines so you know the rules. In short, show respect to your fellow members, no spamming (promoting products or services), if you post details of treatment etc please provide links to the research. No political or religious posts and no covid related posts unless they are to do with PMR or GCA. If you are concerned about someone's post or reply, simply use the report function beneath the post. Here is a link to our guidelines in full:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

5. Finally, this forum is one of the many services that we, PMRGCAuk, provide to support people with PMR and GCA. Please consider joining the charity to help support us or make a donation - every £ counts and helps us to keep helping patients with PMR/GCA, including providing this forum.

pmrgca.org.uk/how-to-help/b...

pmrgca.org.uk/how-to-help/d...

Thank you

The team at PMRGCAuk

[AtopicGuy]

Thank you for the crucial reminder. Can I suggest that profiles should always include approx. age, other diagnosed ailments and medications taken? PMR/GCA are strongly age-related, so it's important to put symptoms, possible side effects and level of disability into context.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to AtopicGuy]

What makes you think we haven’t requested many times -but you can only lead a horse to water….. 😳

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[AtopicGuy in reply to DorsetLady]

I didn't. Constant reminders are the only answer. Giving detailed advice based on no background information is always unwise. Asking appropriate questions is the better response.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to AtopicGuy]

Fran reminds people every month -and we do ask questions.,,