painful wrists and Fingers

[maxistar]

hi should I be worried as increasingly getting. Pains in wrists and now affecting hands … currently on 3mg of pred ?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Was it part of your original PMR symptoms? As you lower pred you may experience symptoms of osteoarthritis that may have developed in the meantime and which has been masked by the pred.

[maxistar in reply to PMRpro]

Hi no I’ve not had these aches before , I’ve taken paracetamol n it has eased the pain slightly , im suffering from anxiety and easily get overwhelmed , and referred for some therapy to support me 6 months ago n been told I’m near the top of the list . I have had to delay replying as I’ve not been able to use keyboard /phone without it aggravating my wrists .

I’ve recently had to give up work , and now have tinnitus , and feel that I am continually developing new health issues , and really need some calm in my health life , I look positively at things and focus on what I can do , this wrist hand pain is challenging the positivity I have , and naturally increaunv my stress , in a constant circle

[maxistar in reply to maxistar]

Thank you for replying and Wish you well on your journey 😊

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to maxistar]

You know you can dictate replies? There is software for a computer and I'm sure someone will know how to use voice on a phone!!! Not me mind - just know you can!!

[maxistar in reply to PMRpro]

Ooo I didn’t and as I started to type this a lot down the bottom right hand corner of my screen I noticed the microphone so I’ve pressed it and now I’ve dictated the rest of this, thank you so much , it does bring relief to not have to type, to be able to speak, and the words appear. 🙏❤️ there is so much a phone can do these days and they develop so quickly , this microphone is definitely a game changer in my day-to-day life, thank you 🙏 ❤️ As is this forum thank you❤️🙏

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to maxistar]

There are a lot of things that make life easier with sore hands! Glad I helped!

[maxistar in reply to PMRpro]

it’s revolutionary for me. Thank you so very much, the things we learn when we share ❤️❤️

[Charlie1boy]

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem at three mg after eighteen months of pmr.

I was recommended to take seven mg for two or three days. I did that and the next day all pain in my hands and wrists was gone. I concluded that for me, the wrist/hand pain was part of the pmr.

As we are all different, I can’t say it would work for you, but it certainly did for me.

Good luck.

[maxistar in reply to Charlie1boy]

Thank you for sharing and will increase me pred and hopefully see if it eases 🙏🤞

[maxistar in reply to maxistar]

Wish you well on your journey 😊

[Bcol]

Hi, I had the same problem when I got to 5mg and it's possible it could be Symptoms of Carpol Tunnel Syndrome which is/can be associated with PMR. After chars with do, middle of Covid, I went back to 10mg and then tapered down again as previously. This completely sorted the problem until I got to 2-3mg when it has reemerged. I've ignored/managed it for the moment and now on 1.5mg. Doc has already left to it me me whether I go back to 10mg again, but as that would give me another two years approx on Pred I'm undecided at the moment. Will have another chat with doc at some time.

[maxistar in reply to Bcol]

Thank you for sharing, i as you have had to increase pred last dec n have been on 3mg for a month , n then the pains have started , it’s hard to return to 10 n reduce down again , and don’t want to take more than I need and lm sure you feel the same , you feel you are making headway n then pains start , im thankful we have meds but worried at only 55 what affect steroids will be having on my body , im starting to feel like there’s always something wrong with me !

Wish you well on your journey 😊

[Bcol in reply to maxistar]

Morning, Things have definitely been improving recently so I'm hoping my wait and see what happens is going to pay off. I'm hoping to start the taper to 1.0mg at the end of next week but as things hand and wrist wise have improved I'm tempted to leave it for another week or three or more. 1.5mg is not enough to be worrying about long term.

[maxistar in reply to Bcol]

Morning, good news things have been improving for you and as you say 1.5 mg is low , however much we do not want to not have to take pred for any more than we need , maybe continue with that for a while before reducing, I have just increased to 8 mg , treating it as symptoms of a flare at the mo for a week and already seen reduction in the pain wrists and hands, and in hope that this will clear the pain. It is quite a journey. We are all on PMR, and I’m thankful that I don’t feel quite so alone he’s having this forum, and people taking time to reply, thank you🙏❤️

[CarolF1312]

I've developed similar problem as I tapered from 2mg to 1.5mg.Thumb on my left hand, can't bear any weight eg. Picking up a dinner plate.

Wrists feel weak and base of the hand very sore if I put pressure on eg. Using hands to push up from sitting position.

Is it possible this will pass as my body becomes accustomed to reduced Pred ?

Can OA develop to this extent over 3 years ?

Any further advice/ comments would be greatly appreciated.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to CarolF1312]

The problem with OA is that pain is masked by higher doses of Pred, so you don’t realise how much it may be deteriorating… if you think that’s what it is, have you tried Flexiseq -

flexiseq.com

This also gives a raft of aids for OA - wherever it is -

flexiseq.com/blogs/expert-a...

[CarolF1312 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks so much for your quick reply Dorset Lady. I'll definitely try this before considering increading my Pred. Trying desperately hard to reduce in view of recent eye problem CSR and deterioration in bone density.

[Bcol in reply to CarolF1312]

Agree with DL, have you tried "normal" pain relief to see if it helps if it does then its more likely to be your OA rather than needing more Pred.

[CarolF1312 in reply to Bcol]

I think I'm in denial that I have OA. No sign of it at all, 3 years ago before onset of PMR.Seems strange that it has developed alongside PMR or are they related on some way?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to CarolF1312]

3 years is plenty of time for it to start causing issues….. with or without the Pred…and as I said in earlier reply you may not have noticed it because the Pred at higher doses was coping with the minor aches and pains.

PMR is muscle pain, osteoarthritis is joint pain… different, but sometimes feel similar …

[CarolF1312 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks DL, it does feel different to my usual PMR symptoms. I'll try the Flexiseq you recommended and maybe some Ibuprofen to see if that makes a difference.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to CarolF1312]

OA and PMR aren't related but orther forums of arthritis may present looking like PMR. And sad to say, 3 years can make a big difference!!! However, sometimes PMR makes similar aches to OA - which is why Bcol suggested painkillers will probably work for OA but not for PMR

[CarolF1312 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRPro. I'm probably also in denial that I'm 3 years older !!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to CarolF1312]

Aren't we all!

[musclesinflamed]

I've also had similar hand and risk problems. I actually had thumb weakness before the other PMR symptoms rose their ugly head last January. I started to have pain in my fingers and hands when my prednisone taper was about 7.5mg or 8 but never thought it could have been due to the taper. I've just lived with it and it isn't as bad now but still present. (My Rheumy had suggested I go up on my pred &/or methotrexate but I didn't.)

[maxistar]

Hello there, thank you for replying, and Problems, I have just increased my pred by 5mg , treating it as a flare, and the symptoms cleared, but have reduced but it’s less than two days since having increased the pred, and we’ll see how it goes, and try not to overwork my hands at the moment, I have overtime to your pain eases for you.