Doctor visit

[Aqua47]

I went back to the rheumatologist for my second visit yesterday. He still seems to think as he did on my first visit, that I don’t have PMR. I had been on prednisone for over 4 months when he did my blood work, so all was good. He said to take prednisone and try to reduce by1 mg a month. I asked what did he think I had if it wasn’t PMR.? He said he could be osteoarthritis. From what you all on here have said, I’m convinced I have PMR Anyway I guess I’m doing what I need to do anyway Right?

The one thing I didn’t think to ask him was about my adrenal glands. I was born with one kidney and one ovary. Would this mean I have only one adrenal gland? And how do you think that would affect me? ( with PMR)

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes, one kidney means one adrenal gland! If you have got through life with one I see no reason why PMR would make a difference. It might make the recovery of adrenal function a bit slower or wobblier but who knows.

PMR affects muscles and soft tissue around joints, not the joints themselves. Not entirely impressed a RHEUMY can't tell the difference ...

[Aqua47 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. I didn’t agree with him either, but he seemed to think he knew better with his 30+ years of experience. He also said the pain in my hands, arms and shoulders could be age related. I believe he thinks my spinal problems are causing some of my pain. When these PMR symptoms began, the ortho PA and doctor thought the same thing.

[piglette in reply to Aqua47]

Did the prednisone work when you first took it? Did other pain killers work?

[Aqua47 in reply to piglette]

Yes, I went to a PA at the orthopedic office when my pain started. She gave me a 5 day course of pred, starting at 30 mg and reducing gradually. I took the 30 mg. at around 2 pm, and by the time I went to bed at 10, my pain was gone. As I decreased by 5 mg a day, my pain came back full force. Then I saw my regular ortho dr, and he thought I needed to have another MRI to see what was going on. I wasn't convinced that pain was coming from my back. That's when I did my own research. No other pain killers helped. not even opioids.

[piglette in reply to Aqua47]

It sounds that it is pretty likely to be PMR in that case. It is awful when doctors leave people in pain like that.

[Bcol in reply to Aqua47]

Definitely sounds like PMR given that Pred worked and pain killers didn't. Why do you take it at 14:00 usual recommendation is first thing in the morning with breakfast or ideally at 02:00.

[Aqua47 in reply to Bcol]

That was the only time I took it at 1400, and I had just received the prescription after seeing the PA. I was anxious for some relief!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Aqua47]

All sounds very PMR-ish to me. And yes, some of your pain COULD be spinal-related. But it doesn't alter the fact that you can have more than one thing at a time.

[sidra1968 in reply to Aqua47]

Went through similar, really sounds like PMR to me,

[MiniSpec in reply to Aqua47]

When I first started work (a long time ago!) I was told that if someone tells you they have 20 years experience in the job, it means they have 1 year's experience, and it's 20 years old.

I found that to be true of many 'professionals' who learn most of the job in the first year, and then rely on that experience to get them through, without ever trying to update their knowledge as the job evolves over time.

[piglette in reply to MiniSpec]

I love that description of experience. It is probably particularly true of a lot of doctors.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MiniSpec]

Love it!!! And oh so true ...

[sampete]

The first doctor I saw said he didn't want to diagnose me with PMR as they would just fill me full of steroids, so went to see another doctor😁

[piglette in reply to sampete]

What a nutter, does he diagnose anything?