PMR with hand/wrist pain and swollen veins?

Struggled with stiff right hand for months until I got on Prednisone in Jan. 2022. Like carpal tunnel symptoms. It started in the thumb and worked it's way around to all the fingers. Numb, could not grip anything. Had to wear a brace for a long time. My right hand, middle finger is still stiff and I use a soft rubber ball to exercise it nightly. PMR definitely affects the hands. My left hand was going bad too, but the Prednisone helped that, so it's fine at present. Veins are prominent, but I do drink a lot of liquids throughout the day. As for weight gain, only ten pounds since January 2022, but most of that weight gain has been since June. Haven't done anything differently diet wise since then. Who knows. All the best to you my friend.

I’ve basically tapered to 1/2 mg after 3 years but I am having awful pain in my hands. I was told it generally does not effect hands but it clearly does.

Continuing from preceding comment…..
Advice from my rheumatologist:
1. Inflammatory markers normal over recent months.
2. Continue monthly 1mg tapering from current 7mg to 2 or 3mg daily. Return for assessment in 4-6 months.
3. Wrist and knee pain suggests incipient rheumatoid arthritis. These symptoms are not a usual consequence of PMR but PMR is often a precursor to RA. My current absence of joint swelling, soreness to touch or loss of joint mobility may only mean that these symptoms of RA are masked or avoided by my current high 7mg daily Prednisolone dosage.
4. These RA symptoms/afflictions may develop as I continue to reduce Prednisolone dosage.

This was bleak advice. Rheumatologist justified it on two grounds:
1. As a healthy 82 yr old with a 5-10 year life expectancy continuance on Prednisolone at anything above 2 or 3 mg daily dosage will result in a range of serious effects, disabilities, miseries. Complete elimination is best;
2. If Rheumatoid Arthritis does develop, there are better therapies than Prednisolone.

As a matter of interest, I also have a relatively benign form of Dupuytren’s contracture. Together with PMR, this is a double whammy for my rogue Scandinavian genes. Other than the Scandinavian connection, PMR and DC seem to be unrelated conditions.

Have ever thought of psoriatic arthritis???? You just explained one of my symptoms to a tee!!!

Hi @saratogagirl, Welcome to Connect. It sounds like you have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. I assume your question was for @connelly. Do you also have PMR?

Thank you for sharing, though not what I want to accept as I see my rheumatologist next week due to swelling and pain in hands.

Hello, Wrist and hand pain has been a recurring occurrence with me. I am currently tapering off prednisone so I can show my rheumatologist how crippled up I am and so I don't get dismissed by him again since my sed rate is normal or was last time checked. From what I have seen on here hand and wrist pain is quite frequently a problem area

Hi, I'm back to reading PMR opinions. Pain, spasms and weakness in wrists and hands. 5mg prednisone in the morning with arthritis pain reliever gets me through the day. I'm so discouraged. Six months, now, since diagnosis. I guess I should be glad my hip joints are better. Shoulder pain, too, is manageable.

What is your rheumatologist saying about your pain, spasms and weakness in wrists and hands? Has your rheumatologist ever suggested other medications along with prednisone, such as leflunomide, to address issues that may lead to rheumatoid arthritis?

I see my GP next week. I'll let her know about leflunomide. Thanks.