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Conflict with Rheumatologist over taking Prednisone for PMR in AM/PM
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 29 2:54pm | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
The comment from that rheumatologist you initially saw shows that he had no understanding of the reality and intensity of PMR pain. This seems to have been a PMR problem from the beginning.
A video post by @dadcue titled "Polymyalgia Rheumatica: What has changed since 1957?" includes an initial description of PMR in 1957, which said:
"The somewhat melodramatic description of their pain by these patients tends to suggest a diagnosis of psychoneurosis until the ESR has been measured."
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/history-of-pmr-interesting-video-presentation-from-past-to-present/
"Melodramatic", "psychoneurosis". I'm having trouble finding polite words to describe how I feel about those labels. The words that come immediately to mind would get me expelled from this forum.
Replies to "The comment from that rheumatologist you initially saw shows that he had no understanding of the..."
Megz, I agree with you 100%!!! 🤐😡😂
This attitude of negating the patient experience seems to be quite common in Rheumatology. I have seen it described here many times and have experienced it myself. It's a difficult field of medicine, the disease is not well understood, symptoms vary widely, treatment options are limited and come with so many adverse side effects and patients generally have to figure things out for themselves, resulting in a lot of potential conflict. Its no excuse for the bullying, gaslighting and rudeness that so many of us seem to encounter but considering things from their POV has helped me to cope with it and stand my ground.
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I've had shingles (2007) and simultaneously ruptured discs at L4 and L5 (2011). PMR pain in my shoulders and hips made both experiences pale in comparison. Being in so much pain, one is fearful to go to bed and, thus getting less than 3 hours sleep each night, is neither melodramatic nor psychoneurotic. The fact that there isn't a particular protocol treatment that works for everyone should be a telltale sign for rheumatologists to accept flexibility in dosing schedule. Tapering by 1 mg every 2 weeks from 17 mg/day initially and now down to 10 mg...always taking all in the morning has so far worked for me. I'm planning on switching to .5 mg taper, now that I'll be in single digits with the next reduced daily dose.