Plaquenil | Arthritis Information

Hi all,

Just found this group several days back and was wondering if anyone would share their experience with me in regard to hand and wrist pain. AFTER I started taperine off pred, I have very bad pain in right wrist and fingers and thumbs on both hands. Veins in hands look more prominant and really hurts. I did not have pain in wrists and hands in beginning before I got on pred, only had severe pain in arms and legs and hips. In fact I told my husband in beginning the only thing that didnt hurt was my hands and face. Also could anyone tell me if they have taken Plaquenil or Celebrex to help get off the pred and what dose you took? I am trying both but neither seems to help so far. I understand Plaquenil takes a while to get going and only been taking it couple of days. Any help is appreciated. I am 57 and diagnosed in early January of this year. Thanks a lot Paula

Hi, Paula -

I was diagnosed in Feb/06 and have been on prednisone since that time, highest was 15 mg, am now reducing to 3.0 mg. In Nov/06 I was at 4.0 mg, but was uncomfortable enough that I gradually increased to 7.0 mg again (a spell or two of "frozen shoulders!"). Then in Feb or Mar of 2007, I suddenly started getting pain in my hands and wrists. It was rather weird: one finger or another, or a wrist, would start to feel a little uncomfortable and within a few hours it would be so painful I would think it was broken. In the case of my wrists, they would swell up and turn red. The next morning, the pain would be gone and just a yellowish color would remain. A day or so later, it would start up in another finger, thumb, or wrist.

Because the hand and wrist pains interfered with my desk job, not to mention my driving a stick shift!, I ended up going back up to 15 mg. for a few weeks before tapering again. This time, the taper is going very well. I don't think I have any more PMR symptoms, just some mild aches & stiffness associated with the withdrawal (or today, possibly from riding my big black mare!). I do take an Aleve a.m. & p.m. to ward off withdrawal symptoms.

However, I was very lucky in that I had no significant side effects from the prednisone throughout, except for blood sugar swings that I managed to control by taking chromium picolinate and biotin.

Best of luck to you. BTW, I'm 58.

Thank you very much, Ruth, for responding. I am just hoping this not a permanent symptom if the PMR, but only because of the pred withdrawal. Guess I will find out if it doesn't go away eventually. I just started Plaquenil, and am also taking Celebrex but it doesnt seem to help a lot. Anyway, thanks again Hi Paula!

My PMR went away after 2 years and a year later returned (less severe but this time with hands and wrist pain. I took Plaquenil for 4 weeks.It totally cleared it up. It has been a eyar and am still fine (without drugs) . Lately index finger has started to twitch which freaks me out.

Thanks Marianne. I got two steroid shots in the palm (in two nodules) but couldnt get doc to give me shots in fingers. I still think its strange that I had never had pain in hands or wrists before (ever) and then when I tapered Pred all of a sudden my hands were inflamed and swollen and doc says I have RA too. This whole thing is freaking me out. Marianne, I forgot to ask, did they diagnose you with RA in hands or tell you that it was part of PMR? Thanks again

My PMR is going away....it will be two years in August that it started. I didn't take any pain pills today or yesterday. Mostly I take one Tynlol and one aspirin when I take something.

I was wondering about when and if it returns. It seemed unlikely that one would get it and it would go away and never return. At least I am glad to hear that it isn't as bad. Mary

Paula,

I was diagnosed February of this year..and I always seem to get pain in my wrist and hands. Originally the PMR presented with pain in my arms and muscles. I couldnt move. Now, when I am tapering, or when I need the prednisone, the first thing to alert me is the pain in my hands and fingers.

I have an online business so it is something that gets my attention.

who knows if it is the PMR or the prednisone..I can never really tell..(my rheumy said it was probably the pred) but all I know for me it is all part of it.

however, after awhile it does get better.

i do split doses. was on 15 in the begining and now am at 9.

so i have 5 in the am and 4 in the pm.

this way the hands dont hurt so much.

take care.. you are not alone!

cathi

Paula,

The doc did not know ...surmised it was RA. But since plaquenil cleared it up I think it must have been part of the PMR

Hi Paula,

I am male and 71. Started on prednisone in June, 2005. I think you didn´t mention the dose you started on and the dose you have right now. To me it seems as if you are too eager to get off pred. Don´t forget that it is the pred that helps us to live a reasonable life! I think that when you have the right dose, you shouldn´t have much pain but when you taper you probably will get pain and need some extra pill for that. I started on 20 mg in June 2005 and when I reached 5 mg it took me a year to get below 5 mg even if I tried 0.5 mg at a time! I am now down on 0.6 mg (1/4 of 2.5 mg) and thought everything went fine but I have just got a problem with an aching ankle. It seems that the pain hits in different parts of the body all the time. I take a diclofenac against the pain and it has helped before. I am glad that the pred has helped me to live a very active life and instead of reducing too fast, I stay until I feel it is time. Then I use a regime that I have described here before - mainly try to get over to the new dose during a longer period - about two weeks.

Greetings from Seden

Ragnar

Thanks for your post Ragnar. My doc is still insisting I have RA in addition to Polymyalgia and still wants me to get off Pred. I now have Dupuytren's in both palms which is freaking me out because NOONE in my family has it, I don't drink and thats three conditions I have gotten since December 07. The Dupuytren's is really really painful and feels like there is a knife stuck in my palm. Oh, well, just hope thats the end of it. [QUOTE=CathiB] Paula,

There is a program for your computor that will allow to speak into your computor and it will type what you say or go where you want it to.
It's called Dragon....something. It's for people with cramping or problems in the hands. I'd go ebay. Coyote
another 1 falling apart.

Down to 4mg and spending about every second day in bed. Fatigue, hot sweats, pain in shoulders, knees and back and like you Georgina awful rib pain. I have complained about this rib pain on and off for 3 years now, must be part of PMR? it eases when the pred is working. Not sure what to do ..

I'm taking 100mg Tramadol every 12 hrs for osteoporosis fracture pain and also have osteoarthritis> I have been given Valium to help muscle spasms and for sleep but have stopped taking the valium .. bad dreams., I suppose they are from this med? My GP is really trying to get me comfortable without upping the Pred, but tonight I just want to take more, I am really over this

Pred has been upped to 7mg... only 3mgs more.. but what a huge difference!!! and in only 3 days...

I caved in, miserable and rang my Rheumy and now back on 7mg for 2 weeks at least.

I was okay at 5mgs ( for a year) then alternating to 4 was just manageable , but only 4mg is just not enough. So today I just Love Pred xx

Georgina and all have you had any relief?

Hugs , Lyn

lyn, i can sympathize with you, i am in so much pain, i also spend very much time in bed, because of the fatigue and pain, just sitting at the computer is agony, i am on 7.5 mg of pred., i also have osteoporosis, not sure if i have a fracture had an xray yesterday and am waiting for th results.

rib pain is killing me can just about stand up, i will let you know about the xray georgiana
lyn do you have fractures?
georgiana
Yes I have a fracture at T10 . I lifted a bucket of water about 6 months ago and have had lots of pain. The PMR rib pain I get is similar, yet different too. I will try and explain!

When I first got PMR pain symptoms , November 2005, they were acute with constant pain in Left Shoulder, at the back , for about 2 weeks then it transfered to Right shoulder, at the back, again in about 2 weeks transfered to left bottom ribs section at the Front! At least at this stage it was'nt in all 3 spots at once... A knife being twisted.

After 6 or so weeks of this pain jumping around everywhere I was sure I must be sounding crazy. If you have followed all this

Started on Pred March 06.

The Dr's still look blank when I ask about the rib pain. I now assume PMR attacks any muscle and this one may not be on the general symptom list.

I still have rib discomfort, and some acute pain, except when I have a flare then the same pattern repeats.

Georgina I have gone into a lot of detail that you did not ask. I have empathy with you in trying to get answers. I now just want pain relief and quality of Life and I am sure you do too! I have read your posts over a long time and you have suffered enough for far too long. I really do hope the MRI gives you an answer but more that you get your pain under control

Hugs, Lyn x

had a ct scan, and i have a compressed fracture of the t-7 vertebrae, pain is terrible can just about stand up, dr said i should take fosamax, calcium and vit d and have the fractured repaired.

what next?

georgiana
Hi Georgina, sorry you have so much pain, you now know why!!!

What next? Going to push your buttons now xxx

Have you been given Pain Medication? ..... obviously not working, try something else.

maybe up the pred for a few weeks.... ?.... might help as well with the pain.

Have you been taking fosamax ect? .... or has this upset you? What else can you do?

How do they repair the fracture? I have read where this works for some.

When do you see your Dr next?

You need to get the pain under control before you can even think about any and all this

Sorry for the pushy b stuff, but so glad my daughter said similar to me just recently.

This is a shock/ depressing and what next when you hear you have a broken back and quite scary.

Hope you are still talking to me,

Hugs Lyn xx

hi lyn, yes i am still talking to you.
i do have vicodin for pain, it does help a little, i have appt. next thurs to see bone dr to see about a procedure where they repair the fracture by injecting a form of concrete and boost up the fracture, the only thing i do not think i can wait that long, i will call mon if i am still in so much pain.
dr called in a pres. for foxamax so i will start that as soon as i pick it up from the drug store
thanks for your help georgiana
Glad you have some positive things going on, but really sorry you are still in Pain. I hope today might be better for you... if not give the Dr a ring, there are a lot more pain killers to try.

I am really interested in your view on the concrete fracture fix after you have seen ' Bones'

I have only heard of this happening the last few months, amazing what we learn about when we are in these situations.

My husband and I are in our caravan by the ocean for a week. This is what I enjoy, the smell of the sea, the waves rolling in and breaking on the sand, Beautiful here. Heard on the news about the rough weather in the States, are you anywhere near all this?

Hugs Lyn x

Georgina, have been meaning to ask you, remember Betsy and Reni. We used to talk to them quite a bit in the early days. I think Reni is cured? and Betsy must have run off with her knight in shining armour, from the Church. Unless I have missed some postings along the way which is quite possible. We used to have a lot of laughter also some tears. Lyn xHi, Lynn and Georgiana!

I thought I sent a reply yesterday, but must have hit a wrong key as I don't see it on here. Yes, I am "cured" of PMR and sure wish I could see that more of you were also. It is a lousy disease and I keep you all in my prayers, as I know how debilitating it can be. I haven't been on for quite a while because I don't really have much to contribute. I miss those early days with Betsy, too, where we joked and laughed so much. Betsy is a real hoot!!! I hope she has found bliss with her retired nuclear physicist.

I replied to another post about low libido. I have experienced that, along with worsening hot flashes (and postmenopause for almost 9 years now) muscle aches and severe fatigue. My dr. did some hormone panels and chalked up the symptoms to estrogen dominance and put me on some bio-identical hormone replacement (mostly progesterone). After 5 weeks, the hot flashes are gone - yay! - but still fairly low libido and the severe fatigue. Now she wants me to try DHEA, as my DHEA-Sulfate Serum test showed pretty low levels of DHEA. I've read some great things about that - more great things than the indifferent or bad - and am believing that this will turn things around for me. Have only taken it 2 days in a row now, and no difference yet, but it could take a month or two. I'll keep you posted.

Sure hope things start looking better for all of you soon. Take care.
Reni

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