Morning misery: Is prednisone effective 24 hrs? PMR and hands

At 16 mg. pretty good. Right hand stiffens up a bit. Morning pain is manageable. Maybe you need a higher dose of Prednisone? Tapering down to 15 mg starting again today. At 15 mg a few weeks ago, back, neck and shoulder pain resurfaced. So I shall try again. Are you taking any X-tra Strength Tylenol to help with the pain? After I started on Prednisone 40 mg in January, there was no pain. So sorry you're on the roller coaster ride.

It definitely affected both hands. Right was much worse. Since taking Prednisone only the middle finger right hand is stiffening up. Sometime they feel a little tight, but very manageable.

PMR seems to affect people in a variety of ways. Some have hand involvement, some dont. But me? When I have a flare from tapering, my hands ache, tingle and sometimes swell to the point of not being able to wear my rings. Definitely PMR related b/c upping my pred resolves the issues.

I have achy hands too. There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to where pain may strike. My worst has been my tailbone. Prednisone will begin to wear off. I’ve started getting up really early to take mine. Especially if I have plans for the day.

When I tapered off to 0, my hands were painful and the middle finger of my left hand was very swollen and I could not bend it - it felt like it was broken. As soon as I went back on 5 mg prednisone hands got better

Tylenol didn't help me, but Aleve did. It took the edge off the pain, although the stiffness remained.

Sorry to be late with my response. I thought is was only me that had wrist, hand and finger pain with the PMR. My Rumey said that is not a symptom of the disease but clearly they should stop relying on the articles each other writes and talk, really get to know, their patients. I am 25 months into this journey and I also experienced the morning pain, usually at 3 am. I also started spitting my dose with a smaller amount in the evening to help get me through the night. Good luck and be aggressive in treating yourself!

You can tell your quack that I also had it worst in hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders and the back and side of knees. My doctor said my presentation wasn't typical, but I was the first case she had come across and she knew only what the diagnostic advice to doctors said. Even the scores they're supposed to use to diagnose PMR talk only about shoulders and hips. My hips are fine.

Thinking about our various symptoms with a diagnosis
of Polymyagia we should consider other possible causes
as well. Prednisone will alleviate pain and inflammation
regardless of any neat diagnostic category.
If a senior also has another form of arthritis it is likely to
respond for a time to prednisone as well. Prednisone
therapy could mask another coexisting condition and
delay diagnosis. We need to keep an open perspective
along with our physicians.
Very classical PMR responding nicely to tapering prednisone eventually allowed bilateral carpal tunnel
to become apparent for me. Eventually responding
wonderfully to Humira with psoriatic arthritis after two years. With minimal symptoms left they well could be just osteoarthritis at my age. Inflammation is the thread common to all rheumatic conditions.
Stay informed and consider that a good doctor should
welcome a second opinion and consider the possibilities.

I tapered off Prednisone in April of this year after 19 months, Since then I have had stiffness in the morning, especially in my hands. I was also having trouble standing up from a sitting position and even bought an electric chair to help. Just when I was resigning myself to a sedentary life, I suddenly stood up without effort. It was almost biblical! At 76 I'm not jumping fences, but I do have a semblance of normal life again. I would say don't give up and be patient.