Regarding pain in the hands, I have had burning, swelling and pain in the hands since my diagnosis of PMR in April 2022. I was on 40 mg of prednisone in the hospital and came home with 30 mg. I am now down to 10 mg, and as I have tapered, the symptoms in my hands have gotten worse. I saw my rheumatologist last week, and he said (and I am paraphrasing) the hand involvement is not PMR, but is rheumatoid arthritis, and that PMR can lead to RA, though not common. The higher doses of prednisone masks the RA, but as one tapers, it becomes more evident. He indicated that there are better meds than prednisone to manage the RA.
This was not the news I wanted to hear, and I went through denial, frustration, anger, and finally acceptance and motivation to keep moving forward. This process all happened in the doctor's office and on the trip home with my husband. I feel fortunate that my husband let me vent without giving me advice, and by the time we got home we were able to find a little humor in our situation. I have been prescribed hydroxychloroquine for the arthritis and will keep you updated on its impact.
Thank you all for your posts. This site has been incredibly helpful.