Does anyone know about Inflammatory PolyArthritis

[Rachmaninov2]

Inflammatory PolyArthritis, I have been diagnosed and wonder if anyone knows how this differs from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Polymyalgia Rhumatica. Thank you.

[helixhelix]

The overall category is connective tissue diseases...which includes everything that affects all the bits that hold your body together; tendons, muscles, membranes around joints, etc etc. Hundreds and hundreds of diseases..

Within that overall category are a bunch of diseases that are considered to be autoimmune, which is that something in your immune system has gone wonky and is attacking you rather than protecting you. Which includes near a hundred diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. These are both specific inflammatory diseases, with RA being an incurable inflammatory arthritis attacking and destroying joints and polymyalgia being inflammatory disorder that is not an arthritis and which causes huge pain but no destruction of joints and usually goes away after a few years.

Inflammatory polyarthritis is more general. It just means inflammation of more than one joint. It can stay like that or it can develop into one of the very specific inflammatory arthritis disease like RA or ankylosing spondylitis.

A bit of a rambling response, but hope it makes sense!

[Rachmaninov2 in reply to helixhelix]

Yes that does make sense, I have been prescribed prednisolone 3 5mg tablets a day for a week, then 2 5mg a day for a week tapering to 1 5mg maintenance. This has been prescribed by a consultant Rheumatologist but seems too fast to me. Am I wrong?

It’s my first day of 2 5mg a day and I now have very swollen painful left hand. Should I increase back to 3 or wait and ring GP on Monday, any thoughts please?

[helixhelix in reply to Rachmaninov2]

If you are on it for just a short time then a fast descent to a maintenance dose is normal. It’s if you stay on 15mg for a long time that you then have to take more care in tapering.

[Rachmaninov2 in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you helixhelix.

[Hidden in reply to Rachmaninov2]

Cannot beat a fantastic response by Helixhelix I learnt a lot from that too!

[Rachmaninov2 in reply to Hidden]

I agree Deeb2908, we are constantly needing to learn about these diseases, and these forums are invaluable. Thanks to everyone.

[GinnyE in reply to Rachmaninov2]

Very clear explanation from helixhelix. Cleared up a few points for me too. Thanks.