1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Are painful swollen hands and fingers a PMR flare?

Posted by deborahinmaine @deborahinmaine, May 15 11:56am

I got off prednisone for PMR after almost 3 years in April. In February I had woken with swollen painful hands and fingers. Because of how I sleep it was diagnosed unseen as carpal tunnel. Finally saw my rheumatologist and she thinks it could be a PMR flare,didn’t look like carpal tunnel. That makes sense to me but she has put me back on only 3mg. of prednisone. I have no strength in my hands and can’t make a fist. Very limited in what I’m able to do.
When first diagnosed with PMR and in terrible pain this same rheumatologist started me on 5mg. of prednisone which did nothing.
Finall got up to 20mg. And got some relief.
Has anyone else had issues with your hands during or after being on prednisone for PMR? I also just found out there is osteoarthritis in my hands.
Thanks!

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wilmingtonemperor | @wilmingtonemperor | Jun 21 7:15am

I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain and swelling. Asked if PMR related. He said with inflammatory diseases the symptoms tend to overlap. Could be PMR, arthritis, lupus, etc. So inflammation may not be PMR related. Putting me on Meloxicam which he described as a little mallet compared to the big hammer of prednisone. More to follow when the scrip arrives

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3 replies
megz | @megz | Jun 21 7:43am
In reply to @wilmingtonemperor "I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain..." + (show)
@wilmingtonemperor

I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain and swelling. Asked if PMR related. He said with inflammatory diseases the symptoms tend to overlap. Could be PMR, arthritis, lupus, etc. So inflammation may not be PMR related. Putting me on Meloxicam which he described as a little mallet compared to the big hammer of prednisone. More to follow when the scrip arrives

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Lucky you being able to take an NSAID now that you've ditched prednisone. I hope the Meloxicam helps you and that you don't need to take it for long. Please let us know how you go.

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DadCue | @dadcue | Jun 21 10:02am
In reply to @wilmingtonemperor "I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain..." + (show)
@wilmingtonemperor

I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain and swelling. Asked if PMR related. He said with inflammatory diseases the symptoms tend to overlap. Could be PMR, arthritis, lupus, etc. So inflammation may not be PMR related. Putting me on Meloxicam which he described as a little mallet compared to the big hammer of prednisone. More to follow when the scrip arrives

Jump to this post

Have you seen the "famous venn diagram" for spondyloarthritis discorders?

"This diagram shows the overlap between Ankylosing Spondylitis and other diseases that occur in the same patient or within families. However, when this Spondyloarthropathy concept was described in Leeds in the UK in the 1970s, the exact link between the conditions was not known."
https://enthesis.info/pathology/spondyloarthropathies.html
The link is the presence of enthesitis in all these disorders.

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formerpaa70 | @formerpaa70 | Jun 21 12:30pm

Yes, I'm on 2mgs daily since May. Pmr since January 24.
My hands and wrists began to hurt v badly since May. Been told it's osteoarthritis

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formerpaa70 | @formerpaa70 | Jun 21 12:33pm
In reply to @wilmingtonemperor "I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain..." + (show)
@wilmingtonemperor

I saw my PCP yesterday June 20 and told him about my hand and wrist pain and swelling. Asked if PMR related. He said with inflammatory diseases the symptoms tend to overlap. Could be PMR, arthritis, lupus, etc. So inflammation may not be PMR related. Putting me on Meloxicam which he described as a little mallet compared to the big hammer of prednisone. More to follow when the scrip arrives

Jump to this post

Pls keep us posted about meloxicam. My hands and wrists are nearly useless since May. My PMR is nearly gone, w 2mgs of pred daily now. Fingers crossed. Doc says hands have osteoarthritis. Never knew it could be so painful

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janetilley | @janetilley | Jun 22 10:30am
In reply to @rosaanderson "I have had PMRFor Six months. I am now down to 7mg of Prednazone reducing by..." + (show)
@rosaanderson

I have had PMRFor Six months. I am now down to 7mg of Prednazone reducing by every two weeks. I still wake up in lots of pain every morning. Is this normal. I started out at 35 mg, and the pain is always there. I also take two Tylenol in the morning .

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I am in much the same situation. But I’m tapering slower. I started at 20 mg four months ago and now at 9 for three weeks.
Painful mornings but I’ll stay on schedule as I’m anxious to get off Pred.
But you might go a bit slower also.

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1 reply
marymullins7 | @marymullins7 | Jun 23 10:32am

I’m losing all confidence in these doctors who are telling us that this hand and wrist pain is not PMR. We can’t all have just suddenly developed osteoarthritis or some of these other excuses. It has to be a manifestation of the PMR that we all have, and they will never figure out how to address it if they don’t acknowledge it.

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3 replies
formerpaa70 | @formerpaa70 | Jun 23 1:12pm
In reply to @pb50 "Do you also have RA?" + (show)
@pb50

Do you also have RA?

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No, I do not.

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formerpaa70 | @formerpaa70 | Jun 23 1:29pm
In reply to @marymullins7 "I’m losing all confidence in these doctors who are telling us that this hand and wrist..." + (show)
@marymullins7

I’m losing all confidence in these doctors who are telling us that this hand and wrist pain is not PMR. We can’t all have just suddenly developed osteoarthritis or some of these other excuses. It has to be a manifestation of the PMR that we all have, and they will never figure out how to address it if they don’t acknowledge it.

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No way it's not related.
We all just developed osteoarthritis in both hands overnight?
Ridiculous

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2 replies
pb50 | @pb50 | Jun 23 2:33pm
In reply to @formerpaa70 "No way it's not related. We all just developed osteoarthritis in both hands overnight? Ridiculous" + (show)
@formerpaa70

No way it's not related.
We all just developed osteoarthritis in both hands overnight?
Ridiculous

Jump to this post

Has your Doc ruled out RA? If so, why (if you know) ?

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