Re: muscle and/or nerve biopsy?

[Guest guest]

I've not yet had a muscle biopsy. My rheumatologist did mention that perhaps

they may eventually go into the my knees (which are a main problem area for me

and shows joint damage) to do a tissue biopsy.

snap_colorado <sd197@...> wrote: My PCP told me

today that the Rheumy she is sending me to will want

to do his own lab work.... even tho I have had 2 full series of work

ups in the last month. AND... that he will probably want to do

muscle and maybe NERVE biopsies???

Is that normal procedure???

OH sorry... I got ahead of myself. I'm in the process of being

diagnoised with either RA or Polymylagia Rheumatica.

My SEDS is normal (4). RA is high (84)... all other tests are

normal.

EVERYTHING... except the SEDS points to PMR. According to my PCP

EVERYTHING else has to be ruled out before that dignosis can be

given...and that probably means more blood tests and biopsies.

I think biopsies right off the bat are kinda overkill...... ???

GOOD news is she did finally agree to give me a 4 day trial of

Predisone to see if it could be PMR. Either way she is taking me

off of it on Monday .... until I see the Rheumy on the 10th.

This is all new to me... so I don't know what to expect.

TIA

SHARON

[Guest guest]

> Is that normal procedure???

>

FOR Polymylagia Rheumatica.

YES.

jamie

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

Can understand your anxieties at this time of not knowing  as well as suffering

the miseries of this as yet unnamed illness which 'came out of the blue'.Feel

for you.

Of course everyone is different, and there are so many different

inflammatory/immune conditions, bur I just thought I would write as your story

reminded me so much of the way my friend developed her Rheumatoid Arthritis over

a year ago. At the time (and I am a doctor , now retired,) her overhwelming

initial symptoms did suggest Polymyalgia R to me so much, with fatigue and limb

aches and weakness, together with shooting pains.Only over many weeks did the

changes to hands etc develop,although she had had knee trouble the previous

year.Like you she had positive rheumatoid factor but NORMAL seds at that time.

All the 'classic features' developed over months, with the  blood seds rise

lagging well behind the joint inflammation that was then visible.

One reason I am writing.. Just a word of caution about the short course of

prednisolone you have been prescribed.... You may well get a rebound flare of

your symptoms as you tail off, and it isn't a 'fool proof' test for PR either.

In the month while waiting to see a rheumatologist my friend experienced this

after some slight relief when on pred , not surprising when an active auto

immune process is cranking up, and will be damped down while on the steroid.

Whichever inflammatory condition you have , whether PR, RA, fibromyalgia,etc,

you may get this rebound, and I do hope it doesn't worsen your problems and lay

you too low.

Incidentally my friend did not require any biopsies on muscles etc  as with time

the diagnosis of RA in her case was (unfortunately?),not in doubt. Over time she

has noted the muscular/cramping,twitching , weakness and fatigue seem to mark

 an early part of an autoimmune flare, before settling on particular joints.

Anyway Best wishes and good luck,

retired doc in UK

 

[ ] muscle and/or nerve biopsy?

My PCP told me today that the Rheumy she is sending me to will want

to do his own lab work.... even tho I have had 2 full series of work

ups in the last month. AND... that he will probably want to do

muscle and maybe NERVE biopsies???

Is that normal procedure???

OH sorry... I got ahead of myself. I'm in the process of being

diagnoised with either RA or Polymylagia Rheumatica.

My SEDS is normal (4). RA is high (84)... all other tests are

normal.

EVERYTHING.. . except the SEDS points to PMR. According to my PCP

EVERYTHING else has to be ruled out before that dignosis can be

given...and that probably means more blood tests and biopsies.

I think biopsies right off the bat are kinda overkill.... .. ???

GOOD news is she did finally agree to give me a 4 day trial of

Predisone to see if it could be PMR. Either way she is taking me

off of it on Monday .... until I see the Rheumy on the 10th.

This is all new to me... so I don't know what to expect.

TIA

SHARON

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