Late Onset RA vs PMR | Arthritis Information
Hi All,
I have been reading the posts and doing a lot of research lately on late onset RA. This is usually defined as occuring at age 60 or later. It can be very diffilcult to differntiate from PMR. In my case, I was diagnosed with PMR almost 5 years ago and responded vey well to Prednisone. Like all of us, I wanted to wean off of the Prednisore but was never able to get below 5 mg per day. My primary could not understand this because, as he said, " That is no more than your body should be producing daily."
In the last 5 weeks, my hands, wrists, and ankles started to ache a great deal along with swelling, weakness and a general feeling of fatigue and malaise. I upped my dose of Prednisone to 6 mg while waiting 2 weeks to see the doctor. Lab work after 10 days of the increased dose showed a slight rise in the Sed rate but not too bad.
Two weeks later the rheumy diagnosed RA. He said, "No wonder you could not get off the Prednisone." Then he prescribed MTX and Plaquinil which I am waiting on my online pharmacy to deliver.
Bottom line- if the PMR won't go away, and especially if you have bilateral small joint pain, see a specialist and get a workup for RA. Serious joint damage often occurs in the early weeks of the diease so don't wait.
Cheri in Tampa, typing with gloves on to keep my hands warm
Then did you ever have PMR? Are the symtoms that simalar? I have alot of muscle issues. I went and got my sedrate checked about a week and a half ago because I was sure I was in an RA flare. I have several conditions and it is some times hard for me to tell what is going on. I did have an elevated sedrate. My toe joints were throbbing so bad I could not sleep. So I thought it would be a goodtime to check my sedrate.
So sorry you are having a cold snap. It is freezing here in Ill so I thought about a vacation to Florida. Well you have cold temps also. So no vaction for me.
Cherilnn,
In my case there is another scenario that yields the same symptoms.
I was dx'd with PMR about 4 years ago. Responded beautifully to 20mg of prednisone.
After weaning off prednisone my RA doc was puzzled to find that it was not responding like PMR but rather like RA. Horrible A.M. stiffness with pain and fatique. After numerous tests with no swelling, no joint distortion and very low SED rate he came up with the DX......
CVID....Common Variable Immune Deficiency.
Auto-Immune syndromes are a part of the disease.
Net result is, I have the pain and stiffness of RA without the potential joint damage.
So now they are thinking I never really had PMR...sheesh.
From what I understand, PMR does not involve the small joints like the wrists, ankles, and toes. I had the classic shoulder and hip pain and evening stiffness so I believe I was correctly diagnosed with PMR. The RA came 5 years later and involves completely different joints. The swelllings, fatigue, and weakness are also RA rather than PMR. Xrays are showing some joint deterioration in the hands.
These sites offer some info:
If anything, late-onset RA is much better than getting it at a younger age.
Hi all,
Update on PMR vs Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumy has me on Methotrexate injection, Plaquanil, prednisone, and now gold salts injection. I noticed a trend on this forum that people are being prescribed Methotrexate/Plaquanil for PMR. Do you think the PMR-RA link is stronger than suspected?
Cherilnn
I think there is a definate link. I had PMR for 2 years and "something" came back last year. I finally went to Reumy last week. She put me back on 20mg pred tapering and eventhough I feel a little better my wrist fingers shoulders and neck still hurt and are stiff.
My blood test including sed and RA factor were fine.
I am seeing her in 2 weeks. She says it may not be PMR alone. May be PMR and RA and something going on in my neck area that a MRI will reveal. I also have osteoperosis for which I am not on one of those dreadful drugs that cause osteocrenosis (my dentist confirms) You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
I am sick of feeling sick!
I also agree that for some of us there is evidence that PMR , then, and, or, RA or other arthritis's seems to follow on.
I will see my Rheumy next week to get the results of all my tests done a few weeks ago.
I have osteoarthritis in my spine, osteoporosis and very recently my hands X-ray came back as osteoarthritis.
I saw my Dr last week and got the results of my hands and ESR ( now down to 10) and CRP still high at 29.5! He did not have the letter from my Rheumy so I will have more info next week!
Marianne, your frustration with all that is happening to you is a bummer. I hope you get some where at your appointment with the Rheumy.
My Dr's both parents are Dentists and they and my Dentist have not seen osteocrenosis in any of their patients who take bone building drugs. I had the same reservations as you and consulted my dentist before I started and have my teeth checked regularly. BUT!!!, this must be what you feel comfortable with.
Hope you have a good week, be kind to yourself, have your hair done, maybe a very gentle massage?
Hugs again, Lyn
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