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Arthritis and PMR

Posted , 8 users are following.

angelcake61
angelcake61

Ive just been for an ultra sound as I'm having problems with my feet.

Originally I went to the podiatrist who said I had bunions, on one foot it had dislocated my toe and they could operate on them.  However I was referred to the othopeadics as they put on a pot after surgery, it was felt that because of my caring duties there was a possibility I might have my foot run over by the wheelchair.

The orthopedic surgeon didn't think My foot pain was being caused by bunions and I've had X-rays and today an ultra sound.   It's  all been a very slow progress as I had to have my gallbladder removed and therefore the proposed foot surgery and seeing the ortho guy was put on hold.

Back to today, whilst having the ultra sound I was asked if there was any family history of rheumatic in the family, I explained about the PMR and steroids.  He wouldn't tell me anything about my scan, so I'm left wondering, I've noticed posts on here about RA and as it didn't concern me haven't taken much notice of them.

Anyone  got any thoughts about my situation.?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • jeanne333
    jeanne333 angelcake61

    Posted

    In 2010 (snowbird in Fl) I had excruciating pain (10) in both wrist/hands both ankles/feet .. plus a radiating (my description) pain thru out my body .. neck shoulders arns were the worse after my wrist and ankles .. My uric acid level was 12 and high is 6 .. I was diagnosed with gout and put on allopurinol 400mg .. the neck and upper body pain were still there on and off .. but I'm also on and off steroids because of other medical problems and they relive PMR pain .. I was diagnosed with PMR in Nov 2015 .. my RA said I've had it for 4 or 5 years .. that my upper body pain was more than lightly PMR ..so yes yours could be too ..
  • angelcake61
    angelcake61

    Posted

    I should have explained that I've had PMR for over two years and have reduced from 15 to 3mg pred over that time.   I'm wondering if the pred has been masking something else, but the podiatrist was sure it was bunions and was prepared to operate on them, wether that would have happened without first doing X-rays I'm not sure.
    • jeanne333
      jeanne333 angelcake61

      Posted

      Could be . it does relieve pain and inflammation as you well know .. I'd check your uric acid levels .. gout is very painful .. it is a burning needles stabbing type and usually is swollen and warm to the touch
    • angelcake61
      angelcake61 jeanne333

      Posted

      Hi thanks jeanne

      I have had gout as you say very painful, in fact they thought that is what I had in my neck and hands they were painful and very swollen, I told them my suspisions of having PMR, but I was ignored.  That was over 2 years ago, thank goodness for pred I never ever want to go back to those days.

    • jeanne333
      jeanne333 angelcake61

      Posted

      Know what you mean about going back to the pain .. our bodies are fighting themselves and taking us along for the ride .. I know the dangers of taking steroids long term but I want to have some quality of life .. so bring them on .. I'm on 20mg a day for my PMR and will be utilized about the end of March (changes to warmer) .. right now he hopes I'll be down to 10mg a day by then .. me too
  • EileenH
    EileenH angelcake61

    Posted

    I had awful foot pain due to PMR - and so have a lot of others. It felt as if we were standing on a mix of sharp pebbles and broken glass with our feet squeezed into tight socks... Maybe it is the PMR having a flare now you are down to a low dose?

    Hope they find an answer as having sore feet is horrible - it affects everything you have to do.

    • angelcake61
      angelcake61 EileenH

      Posted

      I've being having problems for about a year now, the first signs were the underneath pad below my toes and then my second toe became dislocated supposedly from the bunion.  I am now in pain wherever I put my shoes on and walk outside, it affects the whole of my foot but I suspect it's because I've been walking in such a way to take the pressure off my big toe.

      its not a PMR kind of ache and whenever my foot is examined I don't feel any pain, it's only when I put my weight on them.   The sonographer asked if I'd been tested for rheumatic, I haven't but thought the pred would hinder the result anyway.   Would an ultra sound show it up?

    • jeanne333
      jeanne333 EileenH

      Posted

      I used to say "feels like I'm walking on bloody stumps" my wrist and hands felt the same way .. I was in Florida at the time .. warm hot and sunny so my lungs didn't act up (fill up with fluid and/or mucus so I had no need for steroids ..
    • EileenH
      EileenH angelcake61

      Posted

      No, mine wasn't a PMR sort of ache either. It was most bizarre. The ball of my foot was tender, felt as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper, and standing up from sitting was horrendous for a few minutes and then was just very uncomfortable. The only shoes I could wear to walk  even half-comfortably were my hiking shoes or Birkenstocks in the house. That was pre-pred, a five year period.

      In the last 5 years it disappeared after months on 15mg pred - and my chiropodist here has commented how my feet have changed. She used to have to work on hard corn-like areas on the ball of my foot every time I went. No such problems for the last 2 years

      There is no test for "rheumatic" - by which I assume she means rheumatoid arthritis - you may be positive for rheumatoid factor, but you can have RA and be seronegative and be seropositive and be healthy. It's a diagnosis made on the basis of joint pain/how many joints affected/x-ray evidence of joint damage/some other blood tests. It's a rheumatologist who needs to do that sort of thing.

      But try googling Bowen4life - look at some of the videos. Michael Mosher (hope I've remembered the name right) is a podiatrist (I think) who found using Bowen therapy has helped a lot of his patients with foot problems - which he was surprised about at first. I found that it and sorting out the chronic back problems I had has changed my posture and seems to have been accompanied by the improvement in my feet. 

  • Silver49
    Silver49 angelcake61

    Posted

    I had x rays and an ultrasound and the ultrasound showed up inflammation. I also have bunions and hammer toes. Was sent to orthotics and given special insoles which helped the pain on the sole of my feet. This was all well prior to PMR diagnosis. As described by Eileen it was like walking on pebbles....a thought to put my feet down. I also had the bilateral hip pain etc but did not realise that I had PMR for at least 2 years prior to diagnosis..... put it all down to age! The steroids almost immediately eradicated the pain from my feet and I discarded the insoles. I am wondering if the pain will return when the steroids stop.
    • EileenH
      EileenH Silver49

      Posted

      I was given useless soft insoles that wouldn't fit in anything but trainers by the Dundee orthotics department. A podiatrist in Durham who I was recommended to see by my neighbour, a chiropodist, gave me carbon-fibre insoles which helped some but the choice of shoes was still very limited. 

      There are lots of people with similar experiences - and Leeds did a study a couple of years ago - yes, foot pain is part of PMR. But complain of it to your average rheumy and they'll tell you it nothing to do with it.

    • Silver49
      Silver49 EileenH

      Posted

      It was orthotics in Perth where I was given the insoles and they made them to fit the shoe I was wearing. It worked for most of my shoes. It was the podiatrist who sent me off to the GP for referral. I think it is part of PMR but I agree few medics would. 
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