PMR and varicose veins | Arthritis Information

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I'm into 3 years with PMR and have noticed I'm getting some really ugly bulging varicose veins in the lower legs.  I didn't have much of a noticeable vein problem when the PMR started.  Anyone else noticed bulging veins starting or getting worse since you've been on prednisone?  One leg is really achy and painful but the other leg (the ugliest one) hardly aches at all.  The aching keeps me awake for hours at night most nights.  If anyone has a remedy for achy painful varicose veins, please let me know.  I don't have insurance to help cover anything, and I got a "free quote" from a vein clinic for 00 per leg for laser vaporizing the affected veins.  Yikes!!  I'll just wear long pants.   Nancy

Hi Nancy, I have developed a few bulging veins in my right lower leg, new since PMR. I did question my Rheum. about it but she didn't seem concerned. Occasionally I have a burning pain in that same leg but it does go away after a day or so. The veins in my arms have also gotten larger......when I have blood drawn the nurses call them pipes rather than veins, however when I ask them about it they just say you either have large veins or you don't.......doesn't make sense as they weren't like this before. Maybe I just find it easy to blame everything on the PMR.3 weeks ago I woke up with pain in my my right jaw, called Rheum after a week, she called back in another week and ordered blood work, normal. I went to my dentist and she couldn't find anything and sent me to a oral surgeon. The oral surgeon said they don't deal with jaw pain and recommended I go to Boston. I guess I"ll just live with it.has anyone else had the jaw pain? I had tapered down from 20mg to 3.5 over the past year but the fatigue really hit me along with achiness. I have gone back up to 5mg and I think I will stay there for a while. I am a preschool teacher and need my energy.

Sorry I don't have any advice for you legs...maybe an elastic stocking would help relieve the pain. Take care Gail
Gail

What sort of 'jaw pain'?

Was  your jaw aching and did you find you could not chew very well and had to stop and wait till the pain subsided?

Did you get a severe headache with it, and also pain down one side of your face.

I do not want to worry you but,  these are symptoms of Giant Cell Arteritis a sister illness of PMR.   But slightly more dangerous as if the steroid dose is not correct for the GCA (also known as Temporal Arteritis) it can lead to partial or total loss of vision.

I have GCA, but not PMR, I started on 60mg of prednisolone and got down as far as 6mg when it flared up again.   Back to 60mg but after six weeks am down to 10mg.  Yes the side effects are more than a nuisance but loss of vision would be worse.

Check it out with your Rheumatologist.   If you want more information go to the website www.pmr-gca.org.uk  
I did check w/ my rheum., she ordered SED and CBC and said everythin looked normal. My jaw hurts at night waking me up, and during the day if I haven't been eating or talking....almost seems like and arthritis type thing. I was aware of the gca which is why I called her so quickly. It just seemed to start so abruptly
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