Prednisone

[Hurting2012]

Hello all, I hope everyone is doing well. So I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and I have severe OA everywhere tested positive ra factor ana.ANA. but rheumatologist said I don't have RA. This was two years ago now my toes are deforming and I went back to my primary doctor because I was feeling exhausted and both my ankles wrists knees and big knuckles just were killing me. He put me on Prednisone 40 mg for 5 days it helped immensely but is it common a week after I take them for pain to return because it has and he said if it does I need to go back to rheumatologist. Thank you

[Amnesiac3637]

Hi. The steroids will have reduced inflammation temporarily and as soon as they are withdrawn your pain will come back. As you were only on steroids for five days you won’t have had to taper the dose but unfortunately, you’ve got nothing to prop you up now to get whatever you’re diagnosed with under control. I suggest you follow your doctor's advice and see the rheumatologist as soon as you can. Best of luck and hope you get sorted out soon.

[Sueh121268]

Hi I'm commenting from the UK, and don't really know the system in USA. What I do know is that buckling fingers and toes are a sign of RA. The way you have described your symptoms as settling with the prednisolone is what I have when I have my steroid shot in my bum to last for around 6 weeks.... I understand blood work can be expensive in the USA but it's better to be checked again. There are 2 types of RA sero positive which is aggressive but can be picked up easily on your ESR and CRP counts and sero negative which can't be easily picked up and is shown by how much your joints are twisting from one visit to the next.....there are treatments out there that help to slow the disease down but I'm not sure of the cost to you because we get them free here.....what I will say is hot/cold water is good for fingers and toes..... Hand/ knee braces help.... Walking sticks etc help.... Raising your feet and resting as much as possible. Eating a diet that limits s**t helps....I'm hear if you need to talk.....

[Deeb1764]

what I would add is don’t think prednisone is the cure as it’s side effects can cause other serious issues too! I am on 5mg a day at the moment to keep the edge off but it’s worth seeing your RA team again to try and sort it all out.

Maybe it’s me but a positive ANA means you have RA so surely you should be on the right medication. Also many get sero negative RA and this is still needing treatment plan too

[KittyJ in reply to Deeb1764]

That’s not necessarily the case Deeb, you can have a positive ANA result but not have RA, further tests would be needed depending on the levels as it could be many things causing the positive test result. You can be healthy and have a positive ANA test too.

[KittyJ]

OA can cause deformities too so as your rheumy suggested you go back if your symptoms reappear then that’s what you should do, hopefully they’ll do more tests to get you a diagnosis and some treatment 🤞🏻

[helixhelix]

there are a huge range of musculoskeletal conditions which share diagnostic symptoms and blood markers. Prednisone does calm all inflammatory conditions, including OA. And deforming fingers/toes could also be a number of things.

So yes you need to go see a rheumatologist again to see if there is a clearer diagnosis now. Sometimes they have to be more like a detective to work out the clues if it not clear-cut.

Many of these things evolve over time, so it wasn’t necessarily wrong not to have picked anything up two years ago.

[Haz58]

All I can say is I have seropositive RA and OA. When my doctor put me on 30mg of pred for 2 weeks ALL of my pain went. When I spoke to my Rheumatologist she said if my hip, groin and leg pain went as well it was more likely caused by RA than the OA. All the pain came back after finishing the pred. But as I got a T9 fracture and didn't have a clue how they don't like giving me high dose pred now. Go back to your Rheumatologist. I hope they get you on the right meds and they help. X

[Hurting2012 in reply to Haz58]

My hip and groin pain went away as well

[Haz58 in reply to Hurting2012]

Yes sounds like you definitely need the Rheumatologist then. Hope they help you. X

[Green230461]

I was put on prednisone for six months. Pain decreased but I gained a Moonface swelling and I looked very bloated. After this I was put on prednisone tapering over eight weeks and Humira. Go back to your GP and get help🌺

[Wildething]

I have RA and chronic back pain. My consultant is now convinced I don't have RA but possibly fibromyalgia. He will not commit to his findings. He's taken me of the RA meds and put me on Prednisolone 200mg a day which he wants me to stay on I don't think they work. If you feel they do for you ask your GP or consultant if you can stay on them. Good luck with managing your pain.

[helixhelix in reply to Wildething]

200mg!!! I hope you mean 20mg! 200mg is extraordinarily high. Even 20 is pretty high long term.

[Hurting2012 in reply to helixhelix]

Omg sorry. 40 mg a day

[helixhelix in reply to Hurting2012]

Phew!!

[Hidden]

prednisone causes osteoporosis. My mom had severe RA. They just gave her prednisone. She took it daily. She went from 5' 5' to below 5'. She cracked all of her ribs, her hips and was in severe pain for the last 10 years of her life. Get off the prednisone if you can and get on some other kind of RA drug. If your joints are deforming, it sounds like RA. You should switch doctors if you are able. Also, try an anti-inflammatory diet. I have 3 AI conditions, including RA, and I'm trying to avoid the path of pain my mother had. For almost 5 years, it has worked. I'm not on any RA meds, nor have I ever been. An anti-inflammatory diet will help you get healthier

[Hurting2012 in reply to Hidden]

I'm going to look into this