hi there

I have lupus too - and I think your rheumie is correct, the prednisone wouldn't be causing the muscle to shrink as it would be shrinking over you whole body if prednisone was the cause. Also, prednisone myopathy is easily treated with exercise, and you would not expect it to happen on a dose of only 6mg.

I have sensory motor neuropathy, so I have extensive nerve damage from my lupus which is giving me weak muscles in some parts of my body as my muscles don't get the signals that they need to move. But, there is nothing actually wrong with the muscles, they are normal, just not receiving neural input.

I would be thinking that it may be something other than lupus that is affecting your muscles, as I have never heard of lupus causing atrophy. When are you seeing your neurologist again?

cheers
raglet

For example: you walk much less because it HURTS. You 'time' your pit stops to minimize pain in JUST WALKING? Face it YOU have become far less active? Therefore, you build up far more fluids than expected. The following site should help you:
http://telemedicine.org/stamford.htm
Go to the LEFT side menu? And look up 'Diabetic neuropathy' and be SURE TO read the Intro and the foreward!!!! It explains how some autonomic neuropathioes can and do affect the VASCULAR system. This is key in your situation [as it is in mine as well]
Sometimes? Tho not always, stroking UP the legs to get the bad juices flowing to where they should go? Well, it takes a LOT of patience, often w/o seeming effect. But be patient. I have had gifted and talented therapists do this to MUCH relief! But, finding the RIGHT therapist is often harder than it should be. Good lluck and keep faith and hope that things can be helped! =- j

I have PN, but the neurologist has never told me what kind it is. I see so many different kinds of PN in here, I don't know where to start to compare symptom to symptom. I do know that on my right hand you can plainly see the indentions between the fingers. And, the loss of power is evident when I try to do things like opening a jar, or something like that. And, there is beginning to be some crookedness in the fingers. Closing all the fingers tightly next to each other is now out of the question. The neurologist has now got me into Physical Therapy, and it is a great office. They are really interested in what I have, and how it came to be, so they are really giving my hand the workover. Hopefully, I'll regain total use of the hand. Things like typing this is hard. The little finger and the ring finger simply do not respond well at all. I continually have to correct what they have typed. We'll see. Good luck to all who endure these conditions.