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Are painful swollen hands and fingers a PMR flare?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: 3 hours ago | Replies (150)Comment receiving replies
In my 6th year of pmr. Been below 5 mg several times. A year ago both hands swelled, painful, could not make afist, kept dropping things. Crp elevated. The Rheum ordered xrays specifically looking for RA vs OA vs CPPD. I had hand xrays 4 yrs ago for comparison. Had some OA the first time, was.more advanced, and cppd arthropathy. Increased the prednisone dose, suggested methotrexate. Hands got better with the prednisone. Could not talk myself into taking mtx.
A year later now my right foot is the problem.. 3 months ago my foot swelled across the base of my toes, worse at the big toe where I had surgery 30 yrs ago. I opted for cortisone injection at the foot dr. It got better. Then got Achilles tendonitis, heel spur. Had rheum appt.
He ordered HLA-B27. Having this test done with monthly Crp, esr next week.
Starting PT today.
Since pmr started I have seen several specialists for various problems. May be coincidences, may be connected. Now looking for spondyloarthropathy.
Was at 4 mg. Told to take 5 mg am and 2.5 mg pm for a month. then 5 mg am til next appt in Aug. Heel is only somewhat better.
Suggested Kevzara which I said I would research. Copay will be expensive, getting approved will be a hassle.
In 6 years I have only found one person who has heard of pmr, it was her mother, and she said her mother had it for 20 years. Thought then I was doomed. It's a roller coaster. Started when I turned 70.
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I had pain in my hands and feet. I go to a fairly busy family Dr. They do lots of stuff besides. Like hormone therapy. My PA told me I was the only one in the practice diagnosed with PMR. I know why, they dont look for it. My PA had sent me to Mayo for diagnosis. Kevzara, Acterma are drugs that target the IL-6 receptor. More of a PMR inflammation marker. The thought is this drug will treat the inflammation from PMR so you can taper on the prednisone. But this drug does nothing to restart your cortisol. After 6 years your body is going to be shut down making cortisol and may not restart itself. When you hit the 5-7mg your body says thats it. It sends pain and inflammation which restarts your PMR. Maybe the Kevzara can hold it down but not if you dont produce cortisol to replace the prednisone. You may need to see a endocrinologist. That of course is just taking about prednisone and PMR. You may have other stuff going on.