CRP test | Arthritis Information

I have not been to my regular doctor since the middle of August. Yesterday, I received a letter with a form for blood work to be done again.

The test is for CRP. I am wondering why it is is this test and not the sentimation test. Have any of you had this test.

It is a protein test. The protein is made by the liver when inflammation is present. I read on the internet and this test is also used to determine if one is a candidate for a heart attack or stroke. I have not read of PMR causing either of these.

So, I am wondering if anyone else has had these tests, or if the doctors are looking at the probability of a heart attack or stroke with my condition. I will when I get there, but in the mean time, I hope to see if this is a normal test for PMR. Mary

I have seen this test listed along with the sed. rate on many of the polymyalgia rheumatica WEB sites. I believe it is just another blood test that is helpful with the diagnosois. Good luck GailIt was among the *many* blood tests I had done. The rheumy made a comment that a test (assuming it may have been this one) showed inflammation was present.When I have blood tests teh Dr always do Sedimentation and CRP. As I
understand it neither are specifically diagnostic as they can be raised by
other things beside pmr, but they add to the eidence. CRP shows levels of
inflammation.

Margaret

Mary, A very good website for understanding all these esoteric tests is http://labtestsonline.org.

The CRP test is quicker to show changes in inflamation than the sedimentation test (ESR), which is why it is often given with an ESR.

Well, I went and tomorrow they will know the results. I know they will still find inflammation. My shoulders/arms have really been hurting for the past week. I don't know if it is because I am stressing them by knitting and crocheting or not. I have started things for Christmas, but I have only worked on them for a couple hours each night. I didn't choose large projects because I knew I wouldn't have the energy to get too much done.

Thank you all for letting me know that it is sort of a regular test for PMR. I think it probably has stayed about the same. I'm at 14 months and counting. Although, it wouldn't surprise me if this whole thing doesn't go away. It already has become a way of life. Mary

My CRP as well as ESR have been normal all along. But I otherwise have classic PMR. Maybe I have a very mild case of PMR? I dunno. Neither does the doc. However, even bad PMR can sometimes have normal ESR. But I dunno about the CRP. PS Mary, I also have the upper arm pain, and with me, unlike morning stiffness, it comes on later in the day after using my arms. I used to be able to anything with my arms, like lift bales of hay, carry buckets of water, etc. Now, if I mix a cake or use a can opener my upper arms hurt.

So I think that using the muscles does stress them. I reduced pred by 1/2mg and had terrible fatigue but no pain, and then I mixed a cake by hand and arm pain came back! So, like you, I guess the inflammation is still there. As Bob said, the CRP is actually more sesitive than the sed rate. My doc says
it really gives a better picture and is more diagnostic. However, even when I
was still having pain, it was normal. She seemed to think that was because
the pred was controlling the inflammation.
pgr

I don't understand all of this either. My CRP and SED rate was higher then the month before. But I am feeling better. Cut my pred to 1.25mg a day.

Mary, try only working on your crocheting and knitting a half hour at a time. Take a break. A couple of hours at a time is too long and putting a lot of stress on the shoulders. I take a break evey 20 min to a half hour when quilting.

Thanks Bob for the web page.

Geri

I was terribly fatigued today. It probably was because of the stress over what the CRP was going to prove. I came home and slept for almost three hours. Good thing I am retired and not trying to hold down a job. I don't think I could do it.

I agree, I had best not do too much with the crocheting and take breaks. When I was healthy, I could sit all night and crochet and knit and watch tv. I just can't sit and not do anything. That is why is why I like the computer, you can use your hands.

I'm so glad they don't hurt, I'd really be up a creek with out a paddle as they say. Mary

Mary,

Bob is right in that the CRP is a more sensitive indicator than sed rate for inflammation. There is one called a high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) that is used mainly for predicting susceptibility to heart disease/stroke, not to be confused with the regular CRP test which they give along with or separate from the sed rate for arthritic diseases. Hope this helps.

Good luck with your crochet projects. I used to sit for hours and knit, too, but because of bad back, can't do that any more. The PMR really curtailed all my craft stuff, but I have been getting back to it lately. It's good therapy if you don't push too long and get those stiff, achy shoulders and hands.

Reni

The CPR test showed up normal. So now I don't have any inflammation but still hurt. Maybe that is why some days the pain killers work better and get rid of the inflammation. Today I took three Tylenol this morning and I just took three more and I don't feel as bad as when I got up this morning. I have been very tired the last few days. I hope I can continue to talk myself into that walk since I feel like laying down and going to sleep and I already did that once today already.

My dog and I will go for a walk in a bit. I usually try to walk a mile every other day.

I do think I have a lighter case of PMR than most on this board since I am getting by with just OTC pain killers.

My doctor suggested I go back to the rheumatologist. But her last suggestion was enbrel. I don't hurt bad enough to take that....nor can I afford it with the insurance company only paying half of the ,000 price tag, leaving me with 00. That is highway robbery by the drug companies. Then they have the audacity to spend money on tv advertising tell us to ask our doctors about this medicine and don't even suggest what it is for.

I seem to be stuck in about the same place I was last June. I'm not getting any better and I'm not getting any worse. Since I am not getting any worse, I guess I can live with that.

Sorry to sound so down today, but thank you for listening. I am just tired and exhausted. Mary

Sorry you are having a rough day.It is frustrating to have normal test results
with pain... We are thinking about you!
pgrMary, sorry you are miserable. My two cents worth: You still hurt, so you obviously have inflammation. I certainly have inflamation, and I have normal CRP and ESR. Whether your case of PMR is mild or not, you still feel the pain and you are still exhausted. I am the same. I feel I could probably control the worst of my pain and discomfort with OTC painkillers, but I prefer the low-dose pred out of fear of complications and GCA.While researching cases of PMR with normal inflammatory marker tests, I found several cases of full-blown PMR and temporal arteritis that had normal ESR (no mention of CRP) all along. I don't have a lot of confidence in blood tests, especially of the ones that don't have an exact and specific meaning. I have read many times that ESR and CRP testing is not a reliable indicator of the progress of PMR nor should be used as a guide to treatment and dosages, which should be symptom-related instead. ie tailored to how the patient feels and responds.

Re drugs, have you decided to not take prednisone at all? I have talked this over with my doc several times, and I told him that I felt I could control my PMR with paracetamol and avoid the whole pred thing. However, he says that if I want to prevent arteritis develping, it is better to take pred. And although the side-effects of pred are well known and feared, when I read the potential side effects of the NSAIDs and the rheumatoid arthritis drugs, it makes my hair stand on end! Even Paracetamol, long term, or too often can cause liver damage. I was told that if I were to take any OTC pain killers daily long term I would need regular liver and kidney function tests. Seems like there is a fly in every ointment! I hope you feel better soon Mary.

Chico....thank you for your very thoughtful reply...I took prednisone from Dec. 19, 2006 until June 2007. I already had glaucoma and it raised my eye pressure. It still has not gone down and the eye doctor gave me another prescription to take besides the two I already take. He doesn't think that it will go down now since I have been off of it five months.

He is thinking that I can hold off on they lazer surgery until I am covered by Medicare in 14 months, since glaucoma is ridered off my health insurance policy.

I have not heard of paracetamol....the last time I talked to the rheumatologist, she said to follow the directions on the OTC pain killers and don't take any more than it says to. I see that napersan now has the warning of taking only three tablets in a 24 hour time period. Basically I take arthritic strength Tylenol and aspirin. I did get some napersan last week and it really knocked the pain....but then it quit. Maybe it is for the best that it did. I only take two aspirins something like every eight hours and the same with the Tylenol. Even at that, it is not good to take them.

I agree, blood tests probably don't always tell the full story. We must be inflammed, or we wouldn't hurt.

I hope you had a good day and everyone else found a relief from their paid today too.

Mary

PS. I just did a search and found this below. So the brand name in the US is Tylenol...or the generic is just known by acetainophen. Good to know....you and I are basically taking the same thing.

It says:

Note: In the United States, paracetamol is known as acetaminophen.

starbright5739402.7088773148

Hey Guys........I've learned so much by reading this thread. I'm waiting on SED RATE AND ANA test.

Question: Are you're muscles REALLY WEAK ? Especially in my shoulders and uppers arms, they ache, but are really, really weak.

I also have Fibro and Lupus.

Ever heard of TRAUMEEL by HEEL ? It's one of the best homepathic anti-inflammatories I've ever taken. Really helps with all kinds of muscle pain and inflammation.

Also, I drink VINEGAR with the MOTHER.....get it at health food stores.....believe it or not........it really helps.

One other thing is DUSA OIL (Jacob's) it's DMSO and helps sooooooooo much with muscle/joint pain. It's great for nerve pain also.

Ever take a peroxide bath ? 2 bottles of peroxide and 1 box of epsom salt.........really pulls out toxins and puts back in much needed magnesium.

Don't go without your CALCIUM/MALIC ACID/MAGNESIUM...........it's another great help.

These are things I've learned over the 30 YEARS of Fibro/Arthritis/Lupus/CFS..........and now maybe POLY....pray thee not........but it's LOOKS LIKE IT.

ANYWAY.........thought I'd share..........it just might help someone.

BLESSINGS GALORE, NAN59

I have tried Vinegar...but just the grocery store variety since the place I read, said it would probably work. I did it for about a week and also put baking soda in it to cut the acidity so it wouldn't play havoc with the enamel on my teeth.

I've tried a couple Epson salt baths. Possibly one needs to take more of them for it to be effective.

I had taken a multi vitamin with calcium and magnesium for several years and I also took another calcium tablet so that I was getting 1000/1200 a day. I have quit for about a week thinking I was getting too much calcium.

I've tried 1000 mgs of Vitamin C, MSN, Cq10, Ginger, and a whole variety of different things.

Since I have a low Sed and CRP rate, I don't think the NAIDs work anymore. One of these months I hope it goes away as many say that it should/might.

Maybe if we keep experimenting, we'll find something that works for us. Each person is different and the above things as well as what you have mentioned have worked for many. Mary