Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Hi, I am new to this group. I don't have a diagnosis of PA as yet but I am fairly confident I have it. Symptoms consistent with it include: Morning stiffness of +10 years Onycholysis of pinky and first finger of left hand and big toe LHS Achilles tendinitis on and off for 10years which is getting progressively worse. occasional red eyes, particularly the right one. Psoriasis which has formally been diagnosed twice by skin specialists as eczema. I have it on my elbows and knees, shoulders and trunk. A mother who has very mild psoriasis and who is a nurse and believes my eczema is actually psoriasis A cousin with psoriasis A grandmother who had spondylitis and psoriasis. Her psoriasis was very, very bad just prior to her death from congestive cardiac disease. Most of the pain and inflammation with mobility problems have been put down to sarcoidosis which I was diagnosed as having in 1999. In 1994 I began a degree at university. I had severe achilles tendinitis then which improved a little. In 1995 my health took a significant dive. I was in a lot of pain, fatigue and felt generally unwell. About this time the shape of my fingers changed. From being long and slender I developed swelling most prominent on the middle phalanx but also on the proximal one. The distal ones were fine - unchanged. I asked every doctor I saw about them. They either didn't know the significance of it, didn't have a reason for it or put it down to weight gain. I lost nearly twenty kilos, but the shape of my fingers did not change. To me they looked like sausage fingers. Sarcoidosis is an illness which one can get sausage fingers. I put my fingers down to the sarcoid too. Now I am wondering. Very, very occasionally the middle phalanx becomes red. Also occasionally I get pain and stiffness in them. But it is not that bad. I sometimes have to prise my fingers off the telephone, but they have not given me much problem. I have looked at pics of sausage digits on the internet. Just as many of the pictures don't look like my fingers as there are that do look like my fingers. I was wondering whether people who have sausage digits have pain all the time, or only sometimes? I also was wondering whether the changes are permanent or just occur with flair ups? I am confused. X-Rays have showed no arthritic changes whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Hi, I wanted to respond to your question concerning sausage digits. I have 8 toes that are considered sausage digits. For some reason, my big toes are not affected, which really helps, otherwise walking and balance in general would be almost impossible. My experience has been that as each different joint is affected, that joint will be intensely painful, red and swollen. As time goes on, the swelling and redness stay, but the pain subsists to a dull ache. However the joints are very tender, so the least bump or strain causes great pain. That is how it has been for me. My changes have been permanent for the last 10 years. Only a couple of the very worst joints show actual damage on x-ray even though most have no mobility. I should add that I have been on Humira for 2 weeks and while my toes look the same, they do not hurt. I have involvement in several fingers, but no sausages there, just individual swollen joints. They also do not hurt since Humira. I wanted to mention in regard to another post that I have been using a liquid steroid called Clobetasol on spots of p on the scalp. It has remained effective for several years. I use it only when I find a spot and only on the spot. A physician's assistant expressed some concern at my using one of the most powerful steriods for so long, but my dermo did not think that it was a problem. He has cautioned me to only use it on the scalp and not the face because it can thin the skin. It does clear most spots and I still have all my hair, so I guess it is ok! Like others, I had tried every creme, lotion and shampoo previously with success lasting for very short periods. Don I was wondering whether > people who have sausage digits have pain all the time, or only > sometimes? I also was wondering whether the changes are permanent or > just occur with flair ups? I am confused. X-Rays have showed no > arthritic changes whatsoever. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Yes, I've suffered this in the past but it's been about a year or better since I had a flare up. My Rhuemy told me its from Posariatic Arthritis. I'm blessed that I've a very good Rhuemy that will see me when I need to. If it's affecting both hands and feet get your butt too a Rheumy. Good Luck! Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 hello again ....... well suprise suprise I have the sausage digit syndrome too! on 4 fingers on each hand and 3 middle toes. It makes them feel very clumsy.... especially the fingers and my little finger hurt like crazy. I have only had this since early December if I remember correctly.My finger tip tend to be very hot and red too. I wish i could get to see my feet a bit easier but am afraid am not nearly flexible enough to give an exact report on the toes. You ahve just reminded me actually, that one of the new years resolutions that I made and have donething about yet was to keep a diary of symptoms/good and bad days etc changes in meds. you know the things that matter to us. I think it may help me to become a little more analytical and objective instead of ranting a lot!! Neither have i asked the docs for anything for it because for me it is rather minor than the rest of the symptoms and didnt really relish the idea of another tablet to add to my collection of 16 different types per day. some of them 4 times a day and more than 1 tablet in a dose. I have noticed that warm water and warm things generally have helped with manual dexterity. My last 2 fingers on each my right hand are becoming very noticably deformed and crooked. very quickly too. Have you noticed that? 1 particular veribrae in the middle of my back is giving me grief today. most unusual for me as its the neck or base of the back/hips that kill me but i am getting used to not being surprised when things happen, as I am sure you are too. talk soon, Adam London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 Mine never have and it has been 22 years.... On Wed, 2 Aug 2006, jdgld@... wrote: > Do sausage digits ever go back to normal with treatment? > Judy > Liz Kilpatrick On the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River, Davenport,IA/Quad cities ~~~~~~ " People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. " ~~~~~~~ Maya Angelou ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EMAIL: juliette@... PERSONAL HOMEPAGE PAGE http://members.tripod.com/~LizK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 In a message dated 8/4/2006 8:46:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, writes: my first case of sausage digits and I have asked this before with no response. Do sausage digits ever go back to normal or do meds only help to prevent further progression? Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 I've had sausage digits in the past... It was hard to tell because my fingers are thin and long... but there they were... I now have only one finger active, and only remotely looking " sausagey " ... Yes they can go back to normal, but I have no idea if it is just the body doing it's own thing or if the drugs helped it along... michael and the wonderkids... (They're on vacation... PEACE and QUIET... YEE-HOO...) > > > In a message dated 8/4/2006 8:46:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > writes: > > my first case of sausage digits and > > > > I have asked this before with no response. Do sausage digits ever go back to > normal or do meds only help to prevent further progression? > Judy > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Mine have returned to normal, then gone back to sausage, then normal...and probably will be sausages again, I suppose... Someone else said they never quite went back to the pre-flare size. I can't swear that mine are as small as they once were, but they are definitely *not* sausages right now. Hope yours go down! sherry z > > > In a message dated 8/4/2006 8:46:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > writes: > > my first case of sausage digits and > > > > I have asked this before with no response. Do sausage digits ever go back to > normal or do meds only help to prevent further progression? > Judy > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 In a message dated 8/18/2006 7:17:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, martincoyless@... writes: Do sausage digits ever go back to normal or do meds only help to prevent further progression? Hi Judy, All but one of my fingers returned to normal. The one that didn't has a slightly larger knuckle. My toes returned to their previous size, but are shaped slightly different. Some are gently twisted and a couple, according to my husband, look like ET. The last digit is shaped just like ET's head. ;-D Sorry you had to post this question twice. I do remember it, but probably thought " OH someone will answer. " lazy me. Good luck and good health Sandy swOhio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 ET toes?? Me, too! The second toe on each foot is shaped like ET's head since my major flare in May. Next time they go numb on me, I'll tell them to " phone home. " <grin> sherry z > Some are gently twisted and a couple, according to my > husband, look like ET. The last digit is shaped just like ET's head. ;-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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