Fingers swelling

[Purplegloss]

Feeling a bit down at the moment, so thought I would unload on here!

I have just passed the 7 year mark for having PMR, so that is pretty depressing in itself, get to be 81 at the end of the month as well, but at least I am still here. I haven't been feeling quite right for a few weeks now, probably going back to my holiday at the end of September actually. This involved lots of walking most days, and also dragging my case after me as well on a couple of days. We went to Spain, but did it by train from St Pancras, so lots of sitting down as well.

I am currently on 2.5mg Pred which I have stayed on for three months, but from the 1st November I started the slow method of going down over six weeks by .25mg. Going back to the title, I have a broken finger, which happened several months ago when picking up a jug of water I heard a pop on the top of my middle finger of my right hand, which is the one I use most. As it takes forever to see a GP after a couple of months I went to see a physio who sent me for an X-ray which came back with a tendon had popped and pulled a slither of bone off with it. The finger is swollen, and the one to the right of it appears to have dropped down a bit, although it doesn't hurt much. However my index finger is now swollen as well, so thinking is this arthritis? Got an appointment in the post for a full hand x-ray for next Wednesday. I just feel so lethargic, and tired all the time, and it is difficult to do many things because of swollen fingers. I have started taking Turmeric a couple of days ago, as I had read this is good for arthritis, but don't actually know that is what is the problem until after the x-ray.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"lots of walking most days, and also dragging my case after me as well on a couple of days."

I fear that that alone was enough to really wear things down - and as an aside, it is very bad for arms and shoulders to drag a case or trolley so we should try to avoid it!

I personally would be careful with turmeric - I can't take it anyway as I am on anticoagulants as well as pred and turmeric can increase bleeding too, Using it in cooking seems fine, taking it as a supplement can have adverse effects. I would also wait until they decide what the problem is - I imagine the damaged finger is still damaged if the little plate of bone hadn't been put into a position where it could heal. What a shame you didn't go to A&E when you did it.

The lethargy and fatigue are almost certainly due to a lack of adrenal function that isn't adjusting as fast as you are reducing the pred dose.

I do hope the hand x-ray shows something that can be sorted out - do let us know what transpires.

[Fatsiajaponica]

Hi Purplegloss, sorry that you feeling low at the moment, so frustrating when our bodies let us down. I have to say that 2.5mgs of pred seems a distant dream for many although I appreciate that you have been on the meds for 7 years. Is it such a bad thing to stay at 2.5mgs for a while, seems like a low dose and many on here stick at much higher for the long term? Anyway, I hope you get that finger sorted out soon and that your energy returns for more adventurous holidays. Wishing you well.💐

[Sydneychihuahua in reply to Fatsiajaponica]

Turmeric+black pepper are very good for pain make sure you have the black pepper in them apparently this makes a big difference

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sydneychihuahua]

Is this meant to be for Purplegloss? You have replied to Fatsiajaponica!

[Purplegloss in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for everyone's reply. GP has added to my 3-monthly blood test for arthritis. I think he put urate, which when I looked it up did mention arthritis, so this is to be done at the same time as my x-ray, so that is good. Last night I put a plaster around the part of my finger where I can feel the sliver of bone moving, so it got 7 hours of staying in situ, seems as if that might have worked, so a plaster will go back on again tonight.