pins and needles in hands, and pain waking me at night now

[arvine]

hello, well, another issue, don,t know if this may be related to our pmr problems, but last while, pins and needles, left hand asleep , has been waking me up, and taking while to go away, also last night, the right hand did same, and they were both quite painful, after I rubbed them, got up, stretched arms , moved fingers etc, now the left hand has been doing for while when holding phone, and my left shoulder im having problems, had exray and ultrasound done last thursday, waiting for results , see if therele is a problem there, and then dr sending me to another dr, can,t get in until dwc 18 , for possible cortisone shot, or not sure, checking out pinched nerve, anyone else have any of these issues

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Those were all things I struggled with with PMR before pred - got cramp very easily but any sustained position led to what I'm fairly sure was claudication pain - poor blood flow to the muscles you need to keep in a position. It isn't just repeated actions that will do it.

[arvine in reply to PMRpro]

ok thanks PMRpro,

[KellyInTexas in reply to PMRpro]

Is it also a feature with PMR ( because it’s auto immune ) that the thyroid can be low? Also, the B’s (3,6, and 12) , D, and iron / ferritin and magnesium?

Pins and needles can be seen with deficiencies, -

but also with demyelination of nerves- neuropathies. ( that would be a zebra in your world of PMR I would think- but not ours. )

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to KellyInTexas]

If you have one a/i problem you are more likely to develop another - my version is that we all have our own version of a/i disease ...

People with PMR DO complain of neuropathies - and pred CAN be instrumental.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to PMRpro]

In fact - probably worse with GCA - poor arterial blood supply ...

[KellyInTexas in reply to PMRpro]

Yes. I think so.

[arvine in reply to PMRpro]

hmm, well I am down to 5 mg now every day for about a week now, see my rheumy next week on 19th, never been any mention of GCA yet, hoping that,s not the case, seeing my GP tomorrow for flu shot, and he may have results of my shoulder exray, and ultrasound, but I know that is not going to show any nerve problem,or bloodflow problems, then he has referred me to another dr, my understanding was for cortisone shot in shoulder, possibly depending on results of the above,but since I have done some reading, and have received some input from this forum, may ask him some more questions, carpel tunnel? B12 deficiency, GCA? mostly the left hand gives me problem, but last night my right hand started up a bit, anyway, both were enough to wake me, and took about 10 min or so to move around, before they felt better, today I still feel a little tingling in left hand and wrist,

[SuziCutie]

When I first developed GCA/PMR I suffered quite badly with pins and needles in both hands at night. Really painful! It only eased weeks maybe months after steroid treatment started. I occasionally get it now which is upsetting as I think maybe a flare is starting but thankfully stable at the moment 😃

[arvine in reply to SuziCutie]

well I find this odd, as I started at 40 mg pred, Oct 2016 and am now down to 5 mg, for just over a week, and was not diagnosed with GCA, just PMR, and actually the left hand and wrist, I noticed starting up with pins and needles quite a while ago when holding phone in left hand while talking, so all a little confusing at this point, but thank you for your input,

[arvine in reply to SuziCutie]

oh wanted to add, I had carpel tunnel in my right hand like 30 plus years ago, and had the procedure for that,

[SuziCutie in reply to arvine]

I am down to 6mg pred from 60mg started December 2017. On 2nd week of really slow taper 5.5mg just 2 days this week. If I can get to alternate days without problems I’ll stick at that for a month before trying to get lower.

If pins and needles become a problem will probably go back to 6mg as really must avoid a flare if I can.

[Stella3]

This is what I had when I was first diagnosed with PMR/GCA. Also pain in hips headaches etc. I have been on Prednisone for two and a half years and finally got down to 3mg when the pain, numbness and itching palms came back in my hands and wrists...so I increased to 10mg and made my way down to 3mg now. Hoping to decrease to 2mg next month, but rather wary.

It seemed to me this was all part of PMR/GCA....as the Prednisone had obviously being taking care of it. Good luck.