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Are painful swollen hands and fingers a PMR flare?
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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I'm symptom free right now... Taking 1000 mg Mycophenolate Mofetil and 15 mg prednisolone down from 20mg. I suffered mostly from shoulder and hip pain, however some days my wrists and hands were also so painful that it was hard to do anything until around noon, when the Tylenol and prednisone kicks in. However, I was diagnosed with Carpel Tunnel and Peripheral Neuropathy prior to my PMR diagnoses. I firmly believe that the combination of the Mycophenolate , Prednisolone and focus on a Anti-Inflammatory diet is the primary reason for the PMR being gone. I also exercised in the pm's by walking 2-3 miles per day, exercised with light dumb bells and pushups. I wasn't able to do anything in the mornings except wait for the pain and inflammation to subside.
The next hurdle is to see how my body reacts to the lower doses of prednisolone, hopefully I will be pain free and off the prednisolone. It would be great to not have the side effects of the prednisolone i.e. swollen face, gut etc.