Knowledge really IS power, isn't it?! I'm glad you found a diagnosis to your symptoms. I was curious about polymyositis, and here is information from the Mayo Clinic website .
Will you come back to EmpowHer.com and write a SHARE article about this condition, telling us what your doctor said, how the muscle biopsy goes, and what treatment options you are given. It will help many women, and we want to know how you are doing!
What is polymyositis?
- an uncommon disease that causes inflammation in your muscles; a type of connective tissue disease.
- most noticeable characteristic is muscle weakness
- can occur at any age, but it mostly affects adults in their 40s and 50s.
- myopathies are suspected to be autoimmune disorders, in which your body's immune system mistakes normal components of your body for foreign substances and attacks them.
- an unknown cause seems to trigger your immune system to begin producing autoimmune antibodies (also called autoantibodies) that may damage healthy body tissues.
- many people with polymyositis show a detectable level of autoantibodies in their blood. It's still unclear, however, whether these autoantibodies are indeed involved in causing polymyositis.
You mentioned that you are receiving a muscle biopsy in a few days, here is a link to the diagnosing/testing options: Muscle biopsy. A small piece of muscle tissue is removed surgically for laboratory analysis. A muscle biopsy may reveal abnormalities in your muscles, such as inflammation, damage or infection. The sample also can be examined for the presence of abnormal proteins and checked for enzyme deficiencies.
Several treatment options as well, including: Corticosteroids (prednisone). These medications suppress your immune system, limiting the production of antibodies and reducing muscle inflammation.
Please be aware, according to Mayo Clinic, and ask your doctor about these supplements, if you choose to go the corticosteroid route:
- Prolonged use of corticosteroids can have serious side effects including osteoporosis, weight gain, diabetes, increased risk of some infections, mood swings, cataracts, high blood pressure, a redistribution of body fat and muscle weakness. As a result, your doctor may also recommend supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D, and may prescribe bisphosphonates, such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel), to counteract loss of bone density.
Other immunosuppressants. If your body doesn't respond adequately to corticosteroids, your doctor may recommend other immunosuppressive drugs, such as azathioprine (Imuran) or methotrexate (Rheumatrex). Your doctor may prescribe these alone or in combination with corticosteroids.
Polymyositis treatments that are still under investigation include: - Plasmapheresis. This treatment, also called plasma exchange, is a type of blood cleansing in which damaging antibodies are removed from your blood. - Radiation therapy. This involves irradiation of the lymph nodes to suppress your immune system. - Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). This involves receiving intravenous infusions of antibodies from a group of donors over two to five days. This treatment is usually expensive. It may be an option for you if your dermatomyositis is severe or resistant to other forms of therapy. - Fludarabine (Fludara). This agent prevents the development and growth of malignant cells. - Tacrolimus (Prograf). This transplant-rejection drug may work to inhibit the immune system. Tacrolimus is often used topically to treat dermatomyositis and other skin problems. - Monoclonal antibodies. These man-made antibodies are designed to target and destroy specific types of cells. Clinical trials are studying the effects of infliximab (Remicade) and rituximab (Rituxan) on both polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
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Knowledge really IS power, isn't it?! I'm glad you found a diagnosis to your symptoms. I was curious about polymyositis, and here is information from the Mayo Clinic website .
Will you come back to EmpowHer.com and write a SHARE article about this condition, telling us what your doctor said, how the muscle biopsy goes, and what treatment options you are given. It will help many women, and we want to know how you are doing!
What is polymyositis?
- an uncommon disease that causes inflammation in your muscles; a type of connective tissue disease.
- most noticeable characteristic is muscle weakness
- can occur at any age, but it mostly affects adults in their 40s and 50s.
- myopathies are suspected to be autoimmune disorders, in which your body's immune system mistakes normal components of your body for foreign substances and attacks them.
- an unknown cause seems to trigger your immune system to begin producing autoimmune antibodies (also called autoantibodies) that may damage healthy body tissues.
- many people with polymyositis show a detectable level of autoantibodies in their blood. It's still unclear, however, whether these autoantibodies are indeed involved in causing polymyositis.
You mentioned that you are receiving a muscle biopsy in a few days, here is a link to the diagnosing/testing options:
Muscle biopsy. A small piece of muscle tissue is removed surgically for laboratory analysis. A muscle biopsy may reveal abnormalities in your muscles, such as inflammation, damage or infection. The sample also can be examined for the presence of abnormal proteins and checked for enzyme deficiencies.
Several treatment options as well, including:
Corticosteroids (prednisone). These medications suppress your immune system, limiting the production of antibodies and reducing muscle inflammation.
Please be aware, according to Mayo Clinic, and ask your doctor about these supplements, if you choose to go the corticosteroid route:
- Prolonged use of corticosteroids can have serious side effects including osteoporosis, weight gain, diabetes, increased risk of some infections, mood swings, cataracts, high blood pressure, a redistribution of body fat and muscle weakness. As a result, your doctor may also recommend supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D, and may prescribe bisphosphonates, such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel), to counteract loss of bone density.
Other immunosuppressants. If your body doesn't respond adequately to corticosteroids, your doctor may recommend other immunosuppressive drugs, such as azathioprine (Imuran) or methotrexate (Rheumatrex). Your doctor may prescribe these alone or in combination with corticosteroids.
Polymyositis treatments that are still under investigation include:
June 26, 2008 - 1:20pm- Plasmapheresis. This treatment, also called plasma exchange, is a type of blood cleansing in which damaging antibodies are removed from your blood.
- Radiation therapy. This involves irradiation of the lymph nodes to suppress your immune system.
- Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). This involves receiving intravenous infusions of antibodies from a group of donors over two to five days. This treatment is usually expensive. It may be an option for you if your dermatomyositis is severe or resistant to other forms of therapy.
- Fludarabine (Fludara). This agent prevents the development and growth of malignant cells.
- Tacrolimus (Prograf). This transplant-rejection drug may work to inhibit the immune system. Tacrolimus is often used topically to treat dermatomyositis and other skin problems.
- Monoclonal antibodies. These man-made antibodies are designed to target and destroy specific types of cells. Clinical trials are studying the effects of infliximab (Remicade) and rituximab (Rituxan) on both polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
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