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Pain in hands and thumbs

Posted , 12 users are following.

rrobinson75
rrobinson75

I have been diagnosed with PMR since 2015 and have been reducing my prednisone with the dead slow method.  I have been successful and am now down to 1.5mg after starting at 15.  I have noticed that every morning I wake up with my hands hurting and also where my thumbs meet my wrists.  I was hoping my PMR was almost gone but I am wondering if it is lingering or is this just arthritis.  I hate to increase my prednisone.  Anyone have this issue?  Thank you!

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • constance.de
    constance.de rrobinson75

    Posted

    That’s where some of my arthritis is - balls of the thumbs and wrists.  Try taking a pain killer and if it works it probably ISN’T the PMR  (pain tablets don’t help PMR).
  • whitefishbay
    whitefishbay rrobinson75

    Posted

    PMR lingers.  My rheumy said I might be in pred 1 mg forever.  (I won’t be).  
  • BettyE
    BettyE rrobinson75

    Posted

    Maybe it's that now you're down to 1.5 that is no longer masking the OA pain ( if that's what it is ) The only downside for me getting to zero pred. was that the OA became, and remains, much more noticeable. Not easy to be sure which pain is which and if anyone knows how to differentiate I'd be very keen to hear. 

    • rrobinson75
      rrobinson75 BettyE

      Posted

      Thank you.  It’s hard to tell but I really want to get to zero!
    • constance.de
      constance.de BettyE

      Posted

      Last sentence!  I fear you’ll have a long wait.😀

  • nick67069
    nick67069 rrobinson75

    Posted

    I have noticed the same problem as I reduced down to 3mg.  Pain, weakness and swelling in the joints at the base of the fingers. My rehumi just said that it is probably related to PMR and gave me some topical anti-inflammatory meds to use. They help, but dont eliminate the problem.  I am trying to increase from 3 to 5mg temporally, and it seems to help.  Life is never dull, especially with immune system problems.
  • EileenH
    EileenH rrobinson75

    Posted

    Pain like that in the base of my thumb is a sure sign I am at just marginally too low a dose to manage the inflammation and if I push it I will flare.If 2mg makes it better I'd go there - because these are mini-doses, doing no damage in the long run. Why not have optimum symptom control?

    • rrobinson75
      rrobinson75 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you, Eileen!  I will try that. So frustrating to not be able to get off the prednisone but it could definitely be worse.
  • margaret22251
    margaret22251 rrobinson75

    Posted

    Hi i started with pmr four years ago, and was put on 10mg pred. 

    i had all the usual, neck, shoulder hands hips ect, just like most of us have,

    as time went on the pains in my fingers, wrist and thumbs got more painful, and my doctor sent me for tests and it was found out i had carpel tunnel as well, and was given a pair of splints to wear at night, that was 16 months ago and it has made a difference.

    But now the rhymi i see has said i have a lot of inflammation there, so i am having to up my pred(nearly double)

    and they will see how that goes.

    i also use the dsns method and find it very very good, thanks to Eileen who has helped a lot of us. Also after further tests it was found i have RA so have you been tested for this.?

    Just a thought.

    Mad mags 

     

    • rrobinson75
      rrobinson75 margaret22251

      Posted

      Thank you! I agree this website is so helpful and especially Eileen.  Very grateful for the group!
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