2mg pred

[Bagshaw]

Now down to 2 mg pred, and coping reasonably well, apart from losing my grip, literally! I have trigger finger in my right hand ring finger, and my left thumb, making simple tasks like chopping veg or playing my 12 string guitar difficult and painful. Is this related rp PMR, which I have now had for four years? Anybody else with these symptoms?

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Bagshaw, firstly well done on reaching the very low doses, and, secondly, ouch! I know what it's like to experience trigger thumb. I suffered trigger thumb very shortly after reaching remission from PMR and GCA and coming off steroids. However, I very much doubt there is any relationship to PMR as I have non-PMR friends who have experienced or are at present experiencing problems with various of their fingers/thumbs triggering. I was given mixed advice re treatment, including splinting and injections. I finally followed the advice of a local pharmacist who said both he and his brother had experienced trigger thumb, adding that my thumb would eventually return to normal of its own accord. It did, but it took some 4 months. However, it must present more of a problem for you as it is affecting both hands (not to mention the pain!) so perhaps you should seek the opinion/advice of your GP.

[Bagshaw in reply to Celtic]

Thanks Celtic, I appreciate your sharing of your own experience. It rings true, as I did very briefly suffer trigger themb in my right hand, saw the GP about it as I am right-handed and was worried about it. He referred me to a specialist but by the time the appointment date arrived it had fixed itself of its own accord, so I cancelled the appointment and hoped it wouldn't flare up again.

I'll concentrate on keeping all ten fingers mobile as much as the pain will allow, and wait for nature to take its course.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Although, as Celtic says, people without PMR also develop trigger finger - my husband who has a lot of things but not PMR is waiting for surgery for his - having PMR may predispose us to it. It is certainly common in patients with RA, the posh name for it is stenosing tenosynovitis - and tenosynovitis is not uncommon in PMR. It would also fit with the fact it appears at lower doses of pred or after you get off pred, losing the antiinflammatory effect.

It can be splinted and icing and antiinflammatories are used (the pred for us) and a cortisone injection may achieve a good result - but it may not be permanent. As I say, OH is waiting for surgery at the end of January, they don't mess about here with any other approach! He was amazed, expecting to have to wait for months - no, the surgeon apologised at a 5 week wait but "Christmas and New Year get in the way I'm afraid".

I suppose it depends how inconveniencing it is - David can't get his hand in his pocket to get his wallet and if it gets much worse he won't be able to get gloves on. At healthy minus temperatures here that is not a good thing!

[mkay30134]

I had trigger finger not too long ago had a steroid shot in it it had helped took almost a week for it to go away but I have no trouble at all now and i was on 50mg of predisone a day when I got the trigger finger.I know the pain you r going through