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PMR causing CTS and RA due to reduction of Steroids too soon?

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priscilla23271
priscilla23271

I'm a new contributor, but I have been finding some of the coments on this forum really informative.  I've been on Prednisolone since August for PMR, starting with 20mg, had to go back to maximum dose after the first monthly reduction, now on 7.5 and suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which started when I was put on blood pressure meds in January.  I stopped taking the ramipril a month ago, but now am having very painful and swollen fingers...all except the little finger which is normal.  Reading on here about 'flares' caused by too soon a reduction of the steroids I have checked back to see what dose I was taking when I felt quite comfortable, and it is the 10mg dose I was taking in January.  Would it be a good idea to go back to that dose and how long should I stay on it before reducing by, say, 1 mg monthly?

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  • priscilla23271
    priscilla23271

    Posted

    After 13 days of upping my dose to 10 mg my hands are in a worse state than ever, almost unusable, very swollen and terribly painful.  Today I didn't get to take my pills till 3 hours after the usual time and I noticed how much worse they became.  I found some statistics that said about 1 in 15 people wirth PMR get CTS and a description of a patient with both whose hands sounded exactly like mine are.  Do you think I should up my dose and maybe take half at 12 hour intervals?  At the moment I take 12 mg in the morning.  Someone suggested I should go to A and E, as I'm not seeing my Doctor till Monday....it takes 2 weeks to get an appointment in this town!

    • EileenH
      EileenH priscilla23271

      Posted

      I'd turn up at the practice, show them my hands and request an emergency appointment - which as I understand it they must offer (unless like everyting else in the NHS that has gone out of the window too).

      A&E is supposed to be for potentially life-threatening situations, not to replace the GP though I do appreciate the time you wait for an appointment means that non-emergency things deteriorate badly and become something more than just urgent. Do you have a walk-in centre anywhere?

    • priscilla23271
      priscilla23271 EileenH

      Posted

      They have a walk in clinic most days at our surgery, but you usually get to see a practice nurse.  the one I saw last time gave me anti-depressants and referred me to the CTS diagnosis clinic at one of our local hospitals... I got their number and they told me it would take 3 weeks to send me an appointment and a further 3 weeks to send the information tro my GP.
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