PMR from taper or osteoarthritis

[arvine]

well I have posted history before so try make this short as I can, started to taper from 4 to 5 mgs pred Mar 19, after feeling tear (showed in MRI) I felt was healing, ih gluteus and hamstring, ( which I feel was caused bt pred weakening muscles and tendons afyer 7 yrs of pred, and seems to me I started to feel pain worse in several joints over last month or so? Rheumy suggests continue with taper, now even hands painful worse in morning along with all joints, inflammation markers normal etc, and rheumy says pred a pain killer so increasing bu 5 for few days would of course expect pain to decrease , so struggling with what to do at this point, can only take extra strength tylenol but really doesnt help much, ?

[yogabonnie]

I am in your situation... but at 2.5 with terrible pain in hands every morning, waking me at night and can barely hold coffee cup. Osteoarthritis I suspect although hand doc said carpal tunnel but I dont buy it I think it is from prednisone..hate to go up. hate to stay here. not sure what to do. Good luck. keep us posted as to how this goes. and I'll watch for responses.

[arvine in reply to yogabonnie]

Well Ive had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists years ago, rheumy is sending me for hand exray, I think pred had done a number on me after all these years, been on 4 mgs now for 3 weeks or so still going to try taper to 3 1/2 in next few weeks, cant take any other anti iflammatory meds of course, have to cope with pain at this stage

[TiaPasha in reply to arvine]

I am new to all this and only been on Pred for 5 days. Before starting the treatment I could not close or use my hands. Still not good at night and I read it imitates carpal. I had both my hands done over 20 years ago but if I remember correctly it was more the numbness that kept me awake and having to wave hand around to stop that. I hope you get some answers

[arvine in reply to TiaPasha]

WellI am findind painful hands on wakening, no tingling or numbness like when I had carpal tunnel, so really think it s withdrawal from pred or osteoarthritis

[TiaPasha in reply to arvine]

I have been using a ball to try to do the squeezing thing, found it easier when standing in the shower as of course everything loosens up. Note to self, keep ball away from dog.

[arvine in reply to TiaPasha]

Yes have tried that too, and hot water, hands only started up aboutvl 6 weeks ago, all over body pain and joints for long time now, MRI shows several back issues, stenosis,,buldging disks,,osteo , degenerative disease etc, so chronic pain , some days better than others but always there, seems just in last yearvor so everything gotten worse, Im amazed at some 80 plus people I know can do sonlnwell , I have just turned 76 in April this year

[TiaPasha in reply to arvine]

I was having problems last year but ignored them and carried on using my Concept 2 machines. I have had 3 joints replaced and when other knee said hello I just thought, here we go again. But x-ray said no. Then MRI said meniscus but nothing could be done so lots of injections over a couple of years. After injections I could use spin bike and leg got stronger. Last visit to physio for injection and I explained my back, hip shoulders hurt and I had to swing leg round to walk forward did not give him the clue something was wrong. Luckily a few weeks later saw some one who realised what was wrong. Back on the spin bike but not out of the saddle much just enjoying it. I still can not get my head round the fact that the MRI showed good Ligaments etc but I could not walk correctly and now I realise it was my pelvis. Do you do back exercises? So important. I had a Laminectomy many moons ago, over 30 I think, so as soon as I feel a twinge out come the big bag of frozen peas. Wear and tear on spine is normal I guess as we age. I used to use the Lat pull down machine in the gym to help keep back strong but I guess that will have to wait until shoulders behave.

[Pixix]

my hands are very swollen every morning, but it’s due to osteoarthritis….at night I wear splints as I have carpal tunnel problems. I blame the weather. The two days of warmth helped my hands a lot, but I should mention I do have Raynauds Syndrome, too!

[arvine in reply to Pixix]

Ah thank you well i have had surgery both wrists years ago, im sure O now have osteo in hands , have in many other joints , but hands only got really bad seems when started taper from 5-4 mgs pred , Mar 19 , sooo dont know if that s what happened and been on pred far too long iver 7 years , need to get down to 2.5 my rheumy says

[Pixix in reply to arvine]

The amount of pred I was taking was masking how much worse my osteo arthritis had got. But steroids aren’t prescribed for osteoarthritisnormally. I was definitely overusing my hands because there wasn’t much pain & I wasn’t doing my exercises! Now at 2.5mg there is more pain, yes, but it’s teaching me to care more about my hands, do my exercises, wear the gloves & splints the hospital issued me with!! Flexiseq is a good help, a bit expensive but it’s a big tube & use onky a little, & can buy online or over the counter!

[arvine in reply to Pixix]

Oh thank you, well I was put on prednisone for PMR over 7 years ago, not for arthritis, but degenerative disk disease and other issues , with back ie osteoarthritis etc have developed and worsened over the years, aging obviously a factor, just find it odd that hand pain has started up now, dr sending me for exrays on my hands now, trying to continue taper of prednisone slowly, cant take any other forms of anti inflammatory meds while still on pred

[Pixix in reply to arvine]

I can’t take anti inflammatory whether on pred, or not!! That’s why I was recommended flexiseq, here on this forum. I found it odd my hand pain came to light when it did, but everything starts in the back ground, & we only realise the issue when there is pain, I think!!