seeing a dr today for first time!

[JessJess21]

hi there

I am back from holiday to Vancouver! I must say wheelchair special treatment was amazing and necessary !

im still taking 25-30mg steroid but waking up every morning in pain. However yesterday i managed to walk up stairs almost normally.

i am not sure this is PMR? And think i need urgent consultant rheumatologist too. My physio ( private) who i see every week i feel is keeping me alive.

im trying not to get depressed. I dont know how im not going to cry in front of gp. Blood tests came back- there has been some reduction in inflammatory markers but white blood count is high and red is low. My last RF factor was neg. I have no idea whats going in. Should i see private rhematologist? Just dont know what to do.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I shouldn’t worry about crying in front of GP-they might then realise how bad you do feel.

Plus like you, if 25-30mg isn’t cutting it then I query that you really have PMR or just PMR. But you do need to remember you have just been travelling and that’s takes its toll - even with the wheelchair assistance…

See what GP has to say and then maybe think about Rheumy ..

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I was also going to say - go ahead and cry. Sometimes it takes that to get their notice!

It is difficult to say - how quickly does the pain go after taking the pred? What time do you take it? The travelling alone may have caused some of it but you may be someone for whom the antiinflammatory effect doesn't last long and so the morning shedding of the inflammatory substances is having a great effect. That happens at 4am - until the pred is working they are creating inflammation. Taking the pred at 2-3am or splitting the dose to extend the duration of the antiinflammatory effect are two ways of improving mornings.