Hand problems

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/12/03 1:16:26 AM Central Standard Time,

liztoth@... writes:

> It is like a tendon or ligament is pulling 2 or 3 fingers down, and then

> they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard surface and

> pull my fingers back up to a normal position. It hurts up to my elbow when

> this happens,

Hi Liz look into carpel tunnel syndrome

[Guest guest]

I want to describe what keeps happening to my hand during the night, and you

all tell me if you think it's PA related.........sometimes it happens in

both hands, but my left hand is much worse than the right.

It is like a tendon or ligament is pulling 2 or 3 fingers down, and then

they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard surface and

pull my fingers back up to a normal position. It hurts up to my elbow when

this happens, although I wouldn't describe it as intense pain. Is this what

people call spasms?

I had rather assumed it was PA related, but a doctor I went to sort of blew

it off...said my foot was a real problem but not to worry about

this..........this just keeps getting worse.....do I need to find a doctor

for this ailment or is it no big deal as he implied.

Any pearls of wisdom would be appreciated.

Liz

[Guest guest]

then

> they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard

surface and

> pull my fingers back up to a normal position.

My fingers used to stiffen overnight into whatever position I slept

with them in. I started sleeping with my hand under my pillow so

the weight of my head would keep my hand flat!

But this went away when I started on DMARDS a year or two ago.

Good luck!

Kathy

[Guest guest]

At 01:16 AM 2/12/03 -0800, Liz wrote:

>It is like a tendon or ligament is pulling 2 or 3 fingers down, and then

>they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard surface and

>pull my fingers back up to a normal position. It hurts up to my elbow when

>this happens, although I wouldn't describe it as intense pain. Is this what

>people call spasms?

Except for the elbow aspect, this is *exactly* how the arthritis in two of

my three involved fingers began. The third finger began in a similar way,

but it didn't happen when I was asleep -- rather, it happened when I was

doing certain things that stretched it (like wrapping my hand around a

coffee cup).

Of course, everyone's different, but I'd say that's something to bring up

with your rheumatologist. My two fingers only did that for about three

weeks before they suddenly swelled up and it was apparent what was going

on; I don't know how long this has been going on for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[Guest guest]

Wow! Until I read this I had totally forgotten about the hand

problems I used to have. I don't know exactly what people mean

about spasms, but I used to wake up with a couple of my fingers

curled and would have to force them open. Sometimes it would

happen during the day too, and my index finger in particular

never would fully straighten out. It's still a little curled, though I

don't wake up with that kind of stiffness anymore.

I'm convinced it's PA related, because the problem started to go

away as the MTX got going. And, now that I've been on Enbrel for

only like 3 weeks, the stiffness/curl in my index finger has been

reduced even more. Umm, I don't know if any of that info actually

helps you, I just wanted to say that I've had this problem and the

meds helped so it's most likely PA related. The other things that

helped for me were just heat pads and massage.

Also, I would leave any doctor who blew off a pain or symptoms

that I described to her/him. That is the exact reason why my PA

went undiagnosed for like 10 years! Doctors are there for *us*.

The minute one says " that's not important " is when I say " later for

you (jerk) " .

Another thing to mention, is that I was having some other

different wrist/finger/joint problems that my doc said were from

'tendonitis' and strain rather than directly from the PA. She had

me do some 'tests' like holding my hands in certain positions to

see what hurt and such (also to see if it was carpal tunnel). But,

she said the tendonitis could be a secondary reaction type thing

from the PA's effects on my joints... so while it may not directly

have been PA, when the PA got better, the tendonitis got better.

Good luck.

> I want to describe what keeps happening to my hand during

the night, and you

> all tell me if you think it's PA related.........sometimes it happens

in

> both hands, but my left hand is much worse than the right.

>

> It is like a tendon or ligament is pulling 2 or 3 fingers down,

and then

> they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard

surface and

> pull my fingers back up to a normal position. It hurts up to my

elbow when

> this happens, although I wouldn't describe it as intense pain.

Is this what

> people call spasms?

>

> I had rather assumed it was PA related, but a doctor I went to

sort of blew

> it off...said my foot was a real problem but not to worry about

> this..........this just keeps getting worse.....do I need to find a

doctor

> for this ailment or is it no big deal as he implied.

>

> Any pearls of wisdom would be appreciated.

> Liz

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I had a condition called " trigger finger " in which the middle finger

would stick in a curled position and would snap back if I put extra

effort into straightening it. Mine went away when I started using a

NSAID full time. It could have been corrected with surgery. The

tendeon or ligament is sticking where it should slide through a

sheath due to inflamation or whatever.

> I want to describe what keeps happening to my hand during the

night, and you

> all tell me if you think it's PA related.........sometimes it

happens in

> both hands, but my left hand is much worse than the right.

>

> It is like a tendon or ligament is pulling 2 or 3 fingers down, and

then

> they freeze up on me until I take my other hand or some hard

surface and

> pull my fingers back up to a normal position. It hurts up to my

elbow when

> this happens, although I wouldn't describe it as intense pain. Is

this what

> people call spasms?

>

> I had rather assumed it was PA related, but a doctor I went to sort

of blew

> it off...said my foot was a real problem but not to worry about

> this..........this just keeps getting worse.....do I need to find a

doctor

> for this ailment or is it no big deal as he implied.

>

> Any pearls of wisdom would be appreciated.

> Liz

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Orin, Mike, Kathy, and , for your take on my hand

problems...it may be carpal tunnel, but if it is, it isn't what I'd always

*thought carpal tunnel would be like...you guys don't count it against me

if I end a sentence with a preposition do you?

I am even more concerned now than when I wrote my note to the list....it

has really started in my right hand now too....probably even worse than the

left which has been giving me problems for several weeks. Both my hands

seem to be rapidly deteriorating....my mobility went to heck in a hand

basket in just over a year.....I really don't want to give up my hands now

too..........I will be going to a new rheumy but not until the middle of

May....it took 3 1/2 months to get an appointment...what should I do in the

mean time...just wait it out????

Thanks again for your thoughts on this.....I'm trying not to panic, but I

really feel anxious about the way this is all developing so fast!

Liz

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/14/2003 12:01:49 AM Eastern Standard Time,

mifel@... writes:

> I had a condition called " trigger finger " in which the middle finger

> would stick in a curled position and would snap back if I put extra

> effort into straightening it.

My daughter had trigger finger when she was about 2. She is now 17. When

she was playing her thumbs would contract and lock and she would cry from the

pain. They doctors said they could injuct it with cortisone or do surgery

to relieve the tendons. A third doctor said she may outgrow it which she

did. I would try the NSAIDS first and if it does not help, then an

orthopedist can inject it with cortisone.

Janet

[Guest guest]

I had carpal tunnel syndrome. The pain started at my hand/wrist and

progressed to my elbow andd finally to my shoulder. It was dismissed by my

first doc completely. Dr. #2 said it was fibromyalgia and ignored it. 6

months later I had severe numbness/tingling and hurt so much I couldn't use

my hand. Had difficulty dressing, ect. Other symptoms included muscle

spasms in the hand, increased pain at night and loss of grip (things still

do slip through my fingers and I constantly drop objects). Finally had an

EMG nerve conduction test done and found out it was carpal tunnel. Dr .

said it was so severe that i would need surgery immediately otherwise I

would lose function of my hand completely. If I were you I would request

for this test and go to your local pharmacy or grocery store to buy a splint

for carpal tunnel syndrome. Even if it isn't CTS it will keep your wrist

straight and might help. Not trying to scare you but you might want to get

a 2nd opinion. I have been reading alot of posts lately regarding dr.

errors. I think if you are having so many problems it couldn't hurt to get

a 2nd opinion. That's what i am planning on doing.

good luck,

RE: [ ] Hand problems

>

> Thanks, Orin, Mike, Kathy, and , for your take on my hand

> problems...it may be carpal tunnel, but if it is, it isn't what I'd always

> *thought carpal tunnel would be like...you guys don't count it against me

> if I end a sentence with a preposition do you?

>

> I am even more concerned now than when I wrote my note to the list....it

> has really started in my right hand now too....probably even worse than

the

> left which has been giving me problems for several weeks. Both my hands

> seem to be rapidly deteriorating....my mobility went to heck in a hand

> basket in just over a year.....I really don't want to give up my hands now

> too..........I will be going to a new rheumy but not until the middle of

> May....it took 3 1/2 months to get an appointment...what should I do in

the

> mean time...just wait it out????

>

> Thanks again for your thoughts on this.....I'm trying not to panic, but

I

> really feel anxious about the way this is all developing so fast!

> Liz

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome to the group;

Please don't be afraid of Methotrexate (MTX). It's

been around for many years. As long as you don't have

liver issues, you shouldn't have a problem with it.

Your doctor will test your blood regularly to detect

any potential liver problems. What's important is that

you need a DMARD to stop the damage from progressing.

I'm not on MTX, but my brother has been for years with

excellent results in stopping the PA progress. There

are other DMARDs out there if you don't think MTX is

for you. I suggest doing some research, there's a lot

of info on-line about PA and meds. Good luck!

warm blessings,

jane