1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
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Tingling and burning fingers, painful wrists in the morning

Posted by ndep @ndep, Dec 6 1:55am

I had symptoms of PMR nine years ago and rheumatologist prescribed prednison. I took this for a few months and tapered off to 2 mg. Then I decided not to take it anymore. Symptoms were still there but manageable. I never returned to the old me, always stiff and feeling old (only 50).. Now symptoms have returned since the end of July and gotten worse overtime, pain and weakness in both legs, shoulders (especially left side) I do not take prednison for the moment, only pain meds (doesn't really help) because I have a PET scan 12/12 and it could lead to a wrong diagnose with the prednison the doc said (could still be some other disease). Meanwhile I have this horrific pains all over my body but the tingling and burning sensation in ring and middle finger of my left hand especially at night are the worst. I can sleep 2 hours and then I need to get up because only then it goes away so I can get back to sleep for another two hours...horrible! Same when I am sitting in the couch watching TV. I had MRI and there is no pinched nerve in the neck. Has anyone experienced this tingling/burning in one or both hands and fingers?

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Profile picture for rocksology
rocksology | @rocksology | 6 days ago

I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My PCP want me back on, but I want to have my regular Rheumy see me at baseline on the 15th. The pain was so bad I had to use a cane for 2 days. This, for some reason, kicked off another pain storm in my hands. My fingertips, thumb to middle finger, started tingling when I was sitting or laying down. The ball of my hands was crazy painful.
It’s been 3 weeks without let up. No grip at all in right hand, and trigger finger on middle finger. Unable to make a fist. Left hand not quite as bad.
I can’t put weight on either wrist - like pulling myself up in bed.
I don’t know if it’s PMR or my “mild” carpal tunnel has suddenly become acute. X-Rays show only mild arthritis.
Who knows.
Terri

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3 replies
Profile picture for ndep
ndep | @ndep | 6 days ago
In reply to @rocksology "I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My..." + (show)
Profile picture for rocksology @rocksology

I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My PCP want me back on, but I want to have my regular Rheumy see me at baseline on the 15th. The pain was so bad I had to use a cane for 2 days. This, for some reason, kicked off another pain storm in my hands. My fingertips, thumb to middle finger, started tingling when I was sitting or laying down. The ball of my hands was crazy painful.
It’s been 3 weeks without let up. No grip at all in right hand, and trigger finger on middle finger. Unable to make a fist. Left hand not quite as bad.
I can’t put weight on either wrist - like pulling myself up in bed.
I don’t know if it’s PMR or my “mild” carpal tunnel has suddenly become acute. X-Rays show only mild arthritis.
Who knows.
Terri

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@rocksology
Thanks Terri you for your feedback. Exactly as you describe it, ball of my hands and unable to make a fist in the morning. They did a test for carpal tunnel (Phalen and Tinel test) and it was negative.

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Profile picture for mae102
mae102 | @mae102 | 5 days ago

I also have tingling and numbness in the fingers of my right hand. The middle finger stays numb most of the time. I am still on 4.5 mg. prednisone. I can still make a fist, but it fells stiff. Last year, I went to physical therapy for my hands (osteoarthritis and PMR). Learned some great exercises that help.
I am wondering that when I make it to remission, will the tingling and numbness disappear?

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Profile picture for chpfireball
chpfireball | @chpfireball | 4 days ago
In reply to @rocksology "I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My..." + (show)
Profile picture for rocksology @rocksology

I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My PCP want me back on, but I want to have my regular Rheumy see me at baseline on the 15th. The pain was so bad I had to use a cane for 2 days. This, for some reason, kicked off another pain storm in my hands. My fingertips, thumb to middle finger, started tingling when I was sitting or laying down. The ball of my hands was crazy painful.
It’s been 3 weeks without let up. No grip at all in right hand, and trigger finger on middle finger. Unable to make a fist. Left hand not quite as bad.
I can’t put weight on either wrist - like pulling myself up in bed.
I don’t know if it’s PMR or my “mild” carpal tunnel has suddenly become acute. X-Rays show only mild arthritis.
Who knows.
Terri

Jump to this post

@rocksology
I experienced the same thing in April/25. I was off Prednisone for 30 days. When I was at 1 mg I started having pain in my hands and wrists. Rheumatologist took xrays and tested for RA. Said I had osteoarthritis in my hands and reduced Prednisone to 0. Pain and swelling continued to get worse to the point I couln't pick anything up or make a fist. Dr. put me on Meloxicam, it did nothing. CRP and Sed rate were normal. Dr. Then decided I was having a PMR flare and put me back on 10mg Prednisone. I'm curently down to 1mg again. This time when reducing I did 10 for a month then 10/5 every other day for two weeks then 5 for four weeks. Then 5/4 for two, 4 for four. 4/3 for two, 3 for four. 3/2 for two, 2 for four. Now 2/1 for three (currently on the third week) then supposed to go to 1 for three weeks. Each drop the first week was hell then symptoms went away. This last drop I started getting tingling and numbness in my fingers, but has now subsided. I think I came down off of Prednisone too fast the first round.

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2 replies
Profile picture for tatiana987
tatiana987 | @tatiana987 | 4 days ago
In reply to @rocksology "I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My..." + (show)
Profile picture for rocksology @rocksology

I went off all PMR meds over a month ago because of prednisone side effects. My PCP want me back on, but I want to have my regular Rheumy see me at baseline on the 15th. The pain was so bad I had to use a cane for 2 days. This, for some reason, kicked off another pain storm in my hands. My fingertips, thumb to middle finger, started tingling when I was sitting or laying down. The ball of my hands was crazy painful.
It’s been 3 weeks without let up. No grip at all in right hand, and trigger finger on middle finger. Unable to make a fist. Left hand not quite as bad.
I can’t put weight on either wrist - like pulling myself up in bed.
I don’t know if it’s PMR or my “mild” carpal tunnel has suddenly become acute. X-Rays show only mild arthritis.
Who knows.
Terri

Jump to this post

@rocksology Really sorry you are suffering. Your words remind me to be very grateful I recovered completely.

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1 reply
Profile picture for mae102
mae102 | @mae102 | 4 days ago
In reply to @chpfireball "@rocksology I experienced the same thing in April/25. I was off Prednisone for 30 days. When..." + (show)
Profile picture for chpfireball @chpfireball

@rocksology
I experienced the same thing in April/25. I was off Prednisone for 30 days. When I was at 1 mg I started having pain in my hands and wrists. Rheumatologist took xrays and tested for RA. Said I had osteoarthritis in my hands and reduced Prednisone to 0. Pain and swelling continued to get worse to the point I couln't pick anything up or make a fist. Dr. put me on Meloxicam, it did nothing. CRP and Sed rate were normal. Dr. Then decided I was having a PMR flare and put me back on 10mg Prednisone. I'm curently down to 1mg again. This time when reducing I did 10 for a month then 10/5 every other day for two weeks then 5 for four weeks. Then 5/4 for two, 4 for four. 4/3 for two, 3 for four. 3/2 for two, 2 for four. Now 2/1 for three (currently on the third week) then supposed to go to 1 for three weeks. Each drop the first week was hell then symptoms went away. This last drop I started getting tingling and numbness in my fingers, but has now subsided. I think I came down off of Prednisone too fast the first round.

Jump to this post

@chpfireball -Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am tapering off more slowly this time. I am dropping the dosage .5 mg at a time rather than 1 mg. My body seems to handle this better. Maybe when I get below 3 mg a day my numbness will taper off.

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mae102 | @mae102 | 4 days ago
In reply to @tatiana987 "@rocksology Really sorry you are suffering. Your words remind me to be very grateful I recovered..." + (show)
Profile picture for tatiana987 @tatiana987

@rocksology Really sorry you are suffering. Your words remind me to be very grateful I recovered completely.

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@tatiana987 - Thank you for your concern. Hopefully one day I will be recovered, too.

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1 reply
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seniormed | @seniormed | 3 days ago

Chronic systemic inflammation can lead to carpal tunnel development.
Discuss having an EMG test referral with your doctor.

REPLY
Profile picture for tatiana987
tatiana987 | @tatiana987 | 3 days ago
In reply to @mae102 "@tatiana987 - Thank you for your concern. Hopefully one day I will be recovered, too." + (show)
Profile picture for mae102 @mae102

@tatiana987 - Thank you for your concern. Hopefully one day I will be recovered, too.

Jump to this post

@mae102 Just in case my experience could be useful to you: I went to Urgent Pain Care place with crippling PMR pain to the point I could not take care of myself. No diagnosis yet. Doc INJECTED Prednisone into wrist which swelled up a lot. Doc worried, but should not have. We think he hit the nerve itself. 4 hours later I was significantly better and in a couple of weeks on Prednisone pills, I was basically cured. My rheumatologist made a hilarious show of throwing me out of his office and shouting that I was cured and he did not want to see me again. A very happy ending to horrible episode.

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Profile picture for brian1955
brian1955 | @brian1955 | 3 days ago
In reply to @chpfireball "@rocksology I experienced the same thing in April/25. I was off Prednisone for 30 days. When..." + (show)
Profile picture for chpfireball @chpfireball

@rocksology
I experienced the same thing in April/25. I was off Prednisone for 30 days. When I was at 1 mg I started having pain in my hands and wrists. Rheumatologist took xrays and tested for RA. Said I had osteoarthritis in my hands and reduced Prednisone to 0. Pain and swelling continued to get worse to the point I couln't pick anything up or make a fist. Dr. put me on Meloxicam, it did nothing. CRP and Sed rate were normal. Dr. Then decided I was having a PMR flare and put me back on 10mg Prednisone. I'm curently down to 1mg again. This time when reducing I did 10 for a month then 10/5 every other day for two weeks then 5 for four weeks. Then 5/4 for two, 4 for four. 4/3 for two, 3 for four. 3/2 for two, 2 for four. Now 2/1 for three (currently on the third week) then supposed to go to 1 for three weeks. Each drop the first week was hell then symptoms went away. This last drop I started getting tingling and numbness in my fingers, but has now subsided. I think I came down off of Prednisone too fast the first round.

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@chpfireball

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