Disappointing flair

[Plains]

Very disappointed… I was able to get to 5mg of prednisone, even after stopping methotrexate. Yesterday I had a major flair. I was able to get it under control by late afternoon. I have so much stress when I am in pain. My hands and wrists have started to bother me, one had does have carpel tunnel, I will be having surgery in April. I cannot make a fist now in either hand. Yesterday I tripped and fell on top of everything else and had a very hard time getting up. Really getting tired of this!🥲

[PMRpro Ambassador]

There is a paper from someone about a fall triggering a flare! It has happened to me too.

[Plains in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you

[Plains in reply to PMRpro]

The doc told me today that I have polyathritis not PMR. He wants me now to take Humera. I am doing ok on 5-6 mg of prednisone, don’t understand why I just can’t stay on that? I am sure my insurance will not pay the 5k cost a month for this drug. Maybe I need to see a different doctor.

[HeronNS in reply to Plains]

How was polyarthritis diagnosed? Imaging has to be done as it, unlike PMR, affects the joints. Furthermore, there is, unfortunately, no reason not to have more than one condition simultaneously. I, like a number of others who post here, have both osteoarthritis and PMR. I've had OA decades longer than PMR.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Plains in reply to HeronNS]

He did not do any X-rays. He did do blood tests and my inflammation maker was 87… should be below 10

[HeronNS in reply to Plains]

Interesting. It's quite a change in diagnosis and I think you are right that a second opinion is a good idea. Of course your doctor wants you on a medication to prevent or lessen joint damage, which is not a concern with "just" PMR. Looking through the rest of this thread it is possible he's still missing something. Hope you get answers soon.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Plains]

So the inflammation marker was high - that doesn't mean it is polyarthritis, a flare of PMR would do that too. There are other blood tests that are far more meaningful when looking at a polyarthritis diagnosis. Like HeronNS, I'd want another opinion and more investigations to differentiate between PMR and polyarthritis - there are imaging techniques that do that.

Polyarthritis is just a term that means 5 or more joints are affected - it isn't a diagnosis as such,

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

That means I have polyarthritis! 😨 I suppose a foot counts as one joint, same with hands, but I think I meet that criterion anyway.

[paulst955]

Unfortunately, many people do not realize that PMR affects the hands and wrists it got me after several years of PMR hands swelling up like sausages unable to make a fist etc. The swelling causes carpal tunnel. I have just had both wrists operated on to stop the pain, like you, I am fed up with the never ending problems caused by PMR. Towards the end of last year I was down to 5mg of prednisone with no problem, then early this year hands swelling then the full PMR neck shoulders hips pain plus very bad fatigue. So back up on the dose of prednisone to stop all the pain. Very depressing.

@🙁😟

[SheffieldJane in reply to paulst955]

Do you have Psoriasis? Your symptoms rang a bell for psoriatic Arthritis. Mind you, all roads lead to Methotrexate.

[Plains in reply to SheffieldJane]

No I don’t have it. I will not take methotrexate due to already having a fatty liver. Now he wants me taking Humera

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Plains]

SJ's reply was for paulst955

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to paulst955]

Yes - SJ has said it - my thought was of PsA rather than PMR.

[paulst955 in reply to PMRpro]

When I went to see my GP a couple of weeks back and told him all my problems he said you had best see a rheumatologist, needless to say I have not heard a thing. I upped my pred myself to take the pain anyway, it's working. Never really had any help from my GP

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to paulst955]

The hand problems, especially the sausage fingers are typical of an inflammatory arthritis. You have a history of psoriasis - it must be considered. It might not be, but you need to find out.

Prod your GP.

[Karendeena]

Plains, my heart goes out to you, just how I feel and I fell as well. Just told my GP I just want to feel well, awfully depressing isn't it?

[Plains in reply to Karendeena]

Yes it sure is. I am trying to take each day with less pain as a gift. Hang in there.