Does anyone know what happens if you don't treat PMR? What happens if you don't? Mainly I am wondering if the chances of developing temporal or giant cell arteritis increase if one does not take prednisone. I see that if one does get arteritis, it is treated with really large doses of steroids, much more than we take for the PMR alone. So by taking low dose Pred for our PMR are we helping ward off complications as well as feeling better? Or does low-dose treatment make no difference to our chances of getting complications like arteritis? As you can see, I don't know what's worse at the moment, the worry about taking Prednisone, the worry about arteritis or the discomfort of PMR! lol.
I have always wondered the same thing. I think the docs believe that a low dose pred does ward off TA but at the same time don't even know if they really know!I think the prednisone keeps the inflammation down and lessens the chance of GCA. When I was first diagnosed my sed rate was over 70 and I was started on 30mg for a week and as the the sed rate went down so did the dosage of prednisone...am prsently on 4mg with a sed rate of 5 and the dr thinks there is no longer a threat of GCA..That's interesting, tapering the dosage in relation to your SED rate. I don't have an elevated SED, so I guess my dosage will be reduced depending on symptoms.
My GP diagnosed me after only 2 weeks symptoms, and prescribed
predisolone before he got he blood test results through. My first reaction
was to refuse to take it, and he told me that if I didn't I would greatly
increase my chance of GCA, and to go and look up the statistics on the web.
I did, and convinced myself very quickly that I was far more likely to develop
GCA if I didn't take the pred. Trouble is I can't remember the sites, and I
haven't got them bookmarked. I think one might have been the Mayo clinic.
I'm about to leave for a holiday (once the garage man has got the camper
van started - I should have left 2 hrs ago) so I'll see if I can find them. If I
don't come back it means the van is finally going!
Margaretit's www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001184 (ie it's a uk website). here's
the relevant extract
'Are there any complications with polymyalgia rheumatica?
About 1 in 20 people on treatment for PMR (and about 7 in 20 with
untreated PMR) develop giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis). This is a
related condition which causes inflammation of arteries (blood vessels).
The arteries most commonly affected are those which pass over the
temples (the sides of the forehead next to the eyes). The eye can be
affected in some cases. This can lead to serious eye problems, even
blindness. Rarely, other arteries such as those going to the brain are
affected.'
margaret
Most sites say that prednisone dosage should be based on symptoms rather than on sed rate, as the sed rate can go down, but symptoms can get worse in a flare. My sed rate was 40 initially. After being on prednisone for a year and then plaquenil, my sed rate was 42. At present, after no medication for a couple of years, it is 44. Go figure. My rheumatologist said some people can have a naturally higher sed rate. I don't know if I am one of those, but at last visit, he wrote "stable sed rate" in the charts, as it has been around 45 for several months (did get up to 60 last year). He doesn't seem concerned, and I guess I'm not either. Don't really know if my current symptoms are due to PMR or arthritis and disc problems in the spine. If PMR, it has been going on 6 years for that. The back problems started almost 10 years ago, and have gotten some worse over time. Not fun. But for now, I take an occasional Tylenol and a mild antidepressant to help me sleep at night.
Reni
Thank you all so much for the helpful advice, I feel much better about taking my medication now. Starting right now!
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