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Suggest Treatment For Polymyalgia Rheumatica And Giant Cell Vasculitis
Question: I have been dx with polymyagia reumatica and giant cell vasculitis. I am on 4mg of Prednisone and Methetrexate. My immune system has been compromised to the effect that I have been in the hospital with pneumonia and sepis. Then I was hospitalized again with Adrenal insuffiency. When the treatment is worse than the disease, when do you say enough is enough. I no longer have a life, am weak, dizzy , my hair is falling out, I am in a cold sweat 70% of the time, I have a sore in my mouth and the pain continues. I had a bx of my temporal artery. It was neg. I have talked to my doc, but continues to insist that I take these horrible drugs that are ruining my life. I can not live like this. I also have a pituitary tumor that is not considered a problem. I feel like I was doing better before the drugs. My kidneys also shutdown putting me in the ICU, along with the adrenal insufficiency. I don't know what to do anymore. Can you help?
Brief Answer:
Endocrine
Detailed Answer:
I am sorry to learn about your medical condition.
You will be best served by an endocrinologist who has the opportunity to assess you in-person.
When I see someone like you I make sure they are not in 'Addisonian crisis' . This is a medical term to describe severe adrenal insufficiency. This is extremely unlikely if you are on high doses of prednisone. I see you have mentioned 4 mg. Are you sure or is that a typo for 40 mg?
I also check the thyroid by running a blood test for TSH and free T4. These may come back falsely low if you are on high doses of prednisone at the moment.
The endocrinologist will perform further tests as deemed appropriate for the pituitary tumor
Endocrine
Detailed Answer:
I am sorry to learn about your medical condition.
You will be best served by an endocrinologist who has the opportunity to assess you in-person.
When I see someone like you I make sure they are not in 'Addisonian crisis' . This is a medical term to describe severe adrenal insufficiency. This is extremely unlikely if you are on high doses of prednisone. I see you have mentioned 4 mg. Are you sure or is that a typo for 40 mg?
I also check the thyroid by running a blood test for TSH and free T4. These may come back falsely low if you are on high doses of prednisone at the moment.
The endocrinologist will perform further tests as deemed appropriate for the pituitary tumor
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
There are no endocrinologists within 300 miles of here. I agree with you that is what I would like to do. So I have no choice, but to wait until these MD's ruin my life with there (knowledge). Thyroid test is fine they say. I know it's not. This has gone on for so long that I think I will just quit the meds on my own, taper the prednisone, as they say that was the cause for the adrenal problem, that it caused the gland to quit working. I thank you for looking at this. As I have 1 more free visit, I will try to get some labs to you. Thanks again
Brief Answer:
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Even a phone consultation with an endocrinologist will be a good start
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Even a phone consultation with an endocrinologist will be a good start
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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