Re: Polymyalgia Rheumatica

daher wrote:
Without any serious health problems apart from high cholesterol (250) and an immune system of 3.5 and below) white blood cells

What's the differential on this? In other words, what are the percentages of the different white blood cells (WBCs) that make up this white cell count (WCC)?

(for almost ten years) a seventy-two-year-old female makes up on Feb 3,2006 with stiff legs, neck, arms, etc. and pains all over her body, which she interprets as the onset of fluor the sideeffect of AKTONEL she makes use of for osteoporosis for the first time. She discontinues intake of AKTONEL

Actonel? She shouldn't be taking that at night and then going to bed. It should be taken first thing in the morning, half an hour before food, and two hours before other medications. Do not lay down after taking this drug: remain upright or in an upright seated position.

and expects the pains to recede. However, in about a month's time, she is totally incapacitated by stiffness, acute pains in the legs, arms, fingers, back, head, neck, vertebrae at waist level, fever (around 38 C), swollen knees and ankles.



Doctors diagnose acute POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA and prescribe a treatment with PREZOLON.

prednisolone?

The patient's response to the drug is gradual with relapsing in a less acute way every time the cortisone dose is decreased.

At present (May 30,2006) almost 3 months after the attack with cortisone (for the last 20 days alternating pill to a ½ pill - 5 mg - each pill every other day) the situation has improved very much apart from the neck, nape, shoulders, the underpart of arms, forearms, fingers, palms (burning sensation) which are still painfull, as well as partly swollen tonsils, ankles and knees.

Have the doctors looked for markers of viral infection? Some people can have a good response to tetracycline type antibiotics if used shortly after their first episode if the episode was caused by a reaction to a minor or relatively minor chronic baterial infection.




Onset of Disease : February 3, 2006

Medication : PREZOLON 5 mg - pills / LOPROC pills before Prezolone intake

Treatment period : March 13 - May 30, 2006

Initial blood tests : April 3, 2006 - Abnormally high rates of WBC = 7.5

This is one of those markers of infection that I was wondering about!


(usually around 3.5) - CRP : 7.70 - RA-TEST : 10.0

Latest blood tests (May 5, 2006) - everything normal, CRP : 2.70 - RA-TEST : 10.0

Ultra sound : Upper and lower abdominal region normal

Thorax X-Rays : normal

Thorax Scanner : normal



The patient has been told that the cause of the above disease is UNKNOWN.

I'd seriously look at infection as a trigger.




I would be grateful to you if you could give me your opinion as to :



The diagnosis

The origin

see above


The treatment


see above

The recovery period

The after-effects (sequelae) involved



Thanking you in advance




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