I've been taking Prednisolone since the beginng of March, starting at 20mg, and am now in my second week at 10mg. However, since reducing to 10mg I've been waking up in the morning with really stiff fingers in my right hand (barely able to make a fist and something I've not experienced before). Is this related to PMR or could it be something else? I've also noticed more stiffness in the backs of my thighs first thing in the morning. Both usually disappear by about mid-day. Has enyone else experienced this?
PS. I'm also getting tingling and slight numbness on and off throughout the day in those same fingers.
Certainly does sound like PMR. Don't reduce the pred so fast. How are you doing the reduction? Elinor
From 20mg to 10mg since March seems quite fast to me. I started at 25mg at Christmas and am at 12.5mg and I think that I've done well to reduce so quickly. I would suggest going back to 12.5 until you feel ok for a couple of weeks before trying to reduce again.
slowly slowly catchee monkey.
Hi I'm having the same but mine is also in my wrists as well, stiff and a type of aching pain but by about 10 or 11 it's ok. I'm currently on 12.5mg after dropping from 20mg that I started in March. Doctor droped me to 15mg in mid may then Tuesday he dropped me to the 12.tmg
Fran, it looks like to me that you stayed on each dose for about 4 weeks, 20mgs, 15mgs, 12.5mgs and now 10mgs since June. I hope I am right. If I am then I think you may have reduced just a tad too quickly through the doses. Gold standard treatment is 6 weeks on each dose, so you may not as yet have all the inflamation under control. Have you thought of upping your dose to 12.5 again and stay on that dose for a good 4 weeks then attempt another reduction.
that's just one suggestion. Regards, tina
Thanks Tina. I was actually on 20mg for 2 weeks then 15mg for 3 weeks, 12mg for 3 weeks, 11mg for 3 weeks. I am now on
10mg for 6 weeks after which time my GO had suggested reducing to 9mg depending on how I feel. I think I shall stick with this as I can cope with the stiffness first thing and it does go away after about 3 hours. I just wanted to know if the stiff fingers were all part of the PMR process.
Hi Fran I have had stiff hands and wrist since the start 18 months ago. Iam now on 3.5 mill of Pred with what i call a considerable amount of pain issues but am able to manage. It helps me in the morning to move and stretch my fingers. Its almost like poor circulation so hot water helps too.
Joanne
Fran, now you have given me your reduction schedule, you know exactly what I'm going to say. You are reducing through the doses far to quick and therefore not giving each dose long enough to do its work which us to round up all inflamation and then keep that inflamation under control.
i fear you will end up with a flare especially this direct drop from 10mgs to 9mgs. Once you get to 10mgs you then really need to adopt the dead slow and almost stop method of reduction, a copy of which you can get from this forum.
however, I do feel you are far from that point , I believe that presently you do not have all inflamation under control because you have reduced too quickly and there could be a possible flare waiting in the wings. If that does happen please up your dose to the dose whereby you were at your best, stay there for 4-6 weeks then slowly reduce.
this us simply my opinion. All the best, tina
I got down to 16mg for 4 weeks and tried dropping to 15mg but had very stiff fingers and weak wrists every morning till 11am too. So tried going to 15.5mg and all these symptoms disappeared. After 4 weeks I am going to try and drop to 14.5mg. All the inflammation in the bloods have disappeared over the last 3 months so pred doing its job. Don't rush too much.
Thank you Tina. I appreciate the advice and will probably do what you suggest, especially as I'm going abroad on holiday next week and the travelling is bound to be tiring and stressful. My GP did say, when I saw him last week that it was really up to me and that I could increase the dose if I felt I needed to. I just hate the idea of going backwards!!
Remember, what I've just posted on another thread, one of our favourite sayings on this site: "It isn't slow if it works".
The only good reason that I can think of for reducing in larger steps than 1mg or so is to initially determine what level is needed for thre particular patient at the particular point in time.
From there, with symptoms obviously returning, one must thern go back to a higher dosage to regain control of the inflammation.
And at that point, with symptoms again well under control, a slower tapering process can begin, say at 1mg per month, until perhaps the symptoms again show signs of returning.
The rate of taper from there can approach zero mg per month, or may at some point return to the rate of 1mg per month, but one does not want to re-visit worsening symptoms, so be cautious, and be perceptive as to the return of symptoms.
I have been on 20 mg for over a month now. I will begin the Methotrescate tomorrow. I delayed the start of that as I was going on vacation and didn't want to deal with the possibilty of side effects. I am having very painful wrists, particularly my right wrist. It appears to be carpal tunnel. My fingers are very stiff when I get up. I am on my computer more than usual due to PMR and not being able to do other things. I have ordered a carpal tunnel mouse pad and a splint-like device to wear on my right wrist at night. Here is my question. Can I expect that the Methotrexate will assist the Prednisone and that I will be feeling better? I read of so many higher doses of Prednisone. I have been fighting off even thinking of asking the doctor for a higher dose. He wants me to begin tapering after a couple of weeks on the Prednisone. Any suggestions???? Should I perhaps bight the bullet so to speak and think of taking a higher dose for a while and then hoping the Methotrexate will do its job and I can then begin lowering. Thanks for any suggestions.
Donna, I'm afraid I'm not the best person to answer your question as I know nothing about Methotrexate, I'm sure Eileen will be able to give you very good advice on both of your queries.
Thanks, Fran. I am kind of laughing here as I reread my question above. I actually wish that spell check was on here. LOL I wrote "bight" when I meant "bite" LOL I also mispoke when I said the doctor wants me to begin lowering th dose of prednison after I am on the methotrexate for a few weeks. Thanks for your reply, Fran. Hope you are feeling well. Donna