Update on tooth extraction

[Buenavista]

Hi guys,

Just to let you know, I had the tooth out at the dentist not the hospital. Doctor told me off, but I was desperate. It's two and a half weeks on and I am feeling much better.

My wife is going to do me a Christmas dinner tomorrow and I can drink again. Not quite the same because it's not so festive.

Good job I listened to you and did not drop down on the pred until after Christmas, as I was due to come down Christmas week. Been on 5mg for 10 weeks tomorrow and I come down to 4 1/2mg on Monday.

I need to ask one question, my hands have always been a problem, but now I am waiting for an operation on 4 trigger fingers. It's not PMR related. I have had them for months but now they are very painful. What pain killer can I take which will not interfere with the PMR med please? So I can take them at night.

As always, thanks for your help,

Buenavista

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Good to hear that all went well and you've got rid of the offending tooth Buenavista.

I had a trigger thumb a couple of years ago - it was agony having to keep bending it back into the straight position, so I can't imagine what it must be like with four trigger fingers. When chatting to a rheumatologist at a meeting one day, he said that if he'd had his needles on him he would have injected the base of my thumb - not too sure if that would work for so many fingers though. My pharmacist told me that both he and his brother had experienced trigger thumbs and that mine would right itself - it did, but took almost 4 months!

Enjoy your belated Christmas dinner with your wife tomorrow!

[Buenavista in reply to Celtic]

Hi Celtic,

Thanks for your reply.

They inject your hand with, yes, more steroids. It works for about 50% of people, I had 6 and not one worked. I have had two successful operations, but now have 2 fingers on each hand that need surgery.

I did ask on the previous message about what pain killer I could take, which doesn't interfere with the PMR medication. Which I would like to take in the evening, when they are most painful. The doctor here prescribed Ibuprofen.

Regards

Buenavista

P.S. My wife cooked me a wonderful Christmas dinner today.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Buenavista]

Hello again Buenavista

I'm afraid I'm not the right person to ask about painkillers as I'm loathe to take anything, so hopefully someone else will come along with advice. I took Ibuprofen for months pre-PMR diagnosis and shortly afterwards was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. There may not be a link but I'm not prepared to take that risk again. It isn't recommended to take anti inflammatories such as Ibuprofen alongside steroids with the potential to double the risk of stomach problems, although I know that some people do. Perhaps taking it for just a few days occasionally wouldn't do any harm. Personally, if I desperately had to take something it would be paracetamol.

Glad you enjoyed your belated Christmas dinner.