Re: Swollen Fingers

[Guest guest]

Colón wrote:

> there was a report a month or so ago that Liz s fingers

> were swollen like sausages and an unidentified Dr said that she may

> have Psoriatic Arthritis.

Poor old Liz; I can say I've had a THR like she has but not sure what that'll

get me!! :-)

(Actually, I've read that she hasn't done her physical therapy as she should and

that's the

reason why she's had continued problems with her hips. Dunno about her fingers.)

But regarding the swollen fingers issue in general:

I've (knock wood) never had swollen fingers per se; I've always had one swollen

red knuckle

here and there. I remember that somebody on this list commented about that, but

can't recall

what it meant (something about a rheumy saying that purple swollen knuckles

meant reactive

arthritis or something like that). Any comments? What does it mean, to have a

misshapen,

reddened, swollen knuckle here and there rather than an entire " sausage "

finger??

Thanks for any info,

Louise

[Guest guest]

Hi, I have two swollen middle knuckles. Both of them

are on opposite hands and different fingers. I Have

one sausage looking toe. My fingers dont get really

red just swollen in the middle joint

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your response, it has helped me alot. I am not on any meds and

really am just exploring my options. I am in Physical Therapy at the

suggestion of my dr. to keep my fingers and joints bending. I just have the

PA in those 2 fingers. One has been swollen for 2 months. I'm glad to hear

they do go down on their own. I still haven't ruled out meds, but am

treading slowely. Thanks again . You really helped me.

Good luck to you and I wish you well.

Edie in Conn.

[Guest guest]

My right middle finger stayed swollen for months and didn't show any decrease in swelling until I got a it injected with Cortisone twice. It is now slightly larger in the joints than it was before the swelling and it doesn't bend the way it used to. My swollen toes went down on their own but are also not the same shape as before the swelling. The cortisone helped the pain tremendously. If I had not had that finger injected I would not be able to use it at all. It even became kind of floppy at the base as if the joint had been destroyed completely but that problem was corrected also after the injections. Good Luck, Cassie

[Guest guest]

“My right middle finger stayed swollen for

months and didn't show any decrease in swelling until I got a it injected with

Cortisone twice.”…

 

 

Has anyone experienced nerve pinching

with the swollen fingers?  I not only

have swollen joints under my fingers but also tingling in the finger tips and

in my palm.  My doctor thinks it’s

nerves related to my neck.  I think it’s

the PA.  Any opinions out there??????

 

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/14/00 4:25:23 AM Central Standard Time, egroups writes:

> I've recently been diagnosed PA. I have 2 swollen fingers. How long > does the swelling last? I've been given a shot of cortisone and am > doing physical therapy to restore movement to those two fingers, but > the swelling is still there. This is 2 months already. What are your > experiences? In someways I'm still in denial. My blood work came out > neg for PA my x-rays show no joint damage but I have these two > swollen fingers. When will they return to normal looking fingers? > Anyone else out there with PA in fingers and swelling? Your > experiences will help me with mine. Thanks

Swollen distal finger joints were my very first obvious signs of PA. My internist ignored them and I ended up with joint deformation.

I agree with Rob's comment that cortisone isn't the answer for PA and so does my rhematologist. I think it's fine to use it one time to get the swelling to start to subside but repeated shots of cortisone aren't the way to control it.

Do you have other PA or autoimmune symptoms? Fatigue, stiffness, tendon inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, etc? If you don't, and the swollen fingers are your only symptom, I'd probably opt for controlling the problem with an anti-inflammatory medication rather than methotrexate. Sulfasalazine might also be a good option.

But definitely get that swelling down. You've got active destructive arthritis going on in those joints and it's going to leave your fingers painful with enlarged joints if you ignore it.

Dwanna

[Guest guest]

" Ralph l. McGillvary " <jca@...> wrote: hello all,

just got back from vacation in fla. it was great, i am nice and tan, much

to my dermie's dismay when i next see him!

my fingers alternate swelling and hurting. neoral helps keep them down.

before i started it, my right ring finger was so swollen my husband had

a cow because he thought i was losing circulation. nothing helped and

couldn't get into dr for weeks. dermie started me on neoral and it went

right down.

don't worry about being allergic to sulfa, except to really know what

your dr prescribes. they don't always pay attention to what you are

allergic to and might prescribe something you shouldn't take. i am

allergic to sulfa, but have been able to take different meds. only a few have

worked, and only neoral and soriatane didn't mess up my liver.

nigel, convey my prayers and good wishes to mike and his family.

susan in ohio

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause some peoples R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows feet and toes fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

later john <catdelouise@...> wrote:

I am not sure if this is RA or just the effects of the high temperatures and humidity, but on and off my fingers are painful and swollen. It hurts to wear my wedding rings. Sometimes the undersides of my fingers are red or have red horizontal lines through them. They feel like someone is squeezing them, like I have no circulation.Any thoughts? Thanks,__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hello, guys I have the swollen wrists which were fused bu still swell and

fingers and knuckles, I like to crochet and i haven't been able too lately.

My wedding rings no longer fit. I hate it.. Ok I complained sorry.

But sometimes you can't help too...Sandy john no_way <kentuckycowboy1@...> wrote:

Hello ,

Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause some peoples R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows feet and toes fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

later john <catdelouise@...> wrote:

I am not sure if this is RA or just the effects of the high temperatures and humidity, but on and off my fingers are painful and swollen. It hurts to wear my wedding rings. Sometimes the undersides of my fingers are red or have red horizontal lines through them. They feel like someone is squeezing them, like I have no circulation.Any thoughts? Thanks,

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My wife hasn't been able to wear her rings for a few years. Her fingers

sometimes swell and get bent out of shape, and hurt really bad. But the

red horizontal lines and no circulation don't sound right. You should

probably have that checked out.

Good luck,

Don & Eileen

wrote:

> I am not sure if this is RA or just the effects of the high temperatures and

> humidity, but on and off my fingers are painful and swollen. It hurts to wear

> my wedding rings. Sometimes the undersides of my fingers are red or have

> red horizontal lines through them. They feel like someone is squeezing them,

> like I have no circulation.

>

> Any thoughts?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I feel your pain...for years I've had

swollen fingers and wrists...it's always been a battle for me. Had my

anniversary ring resized twice already. For the last week and a half,

the swelling is gone and my rings are looser. Walking and the

humidity also make them swell.

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

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

Sandy Myers wrote:

Hello, guys I have the swollen wrists which were fused bu still

swell and

fingers and knuckles, I like to crochet and i haven't been able

too lately.

My wedding rings no longer fit. I hate it.. Ok I complained

sorry.

But sometimes you can't help too...Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandy, last week it got really hot here and I was bad with my diet, which there is no excuse for, but occassionally we all slip. Anyway because of my "bad" choices I had 2 days where I had inflamation in my right wrist that was pinching on a nerve, pain shooting up my arm and down through my fingers leaving me unable to use that hand much at all. After the first day I was thinking, oh this so awful, then I remembered how the pain used to wrack my body all over like that and suddenly I was greatful. It was only one arm and one hand, I could still walk, I could still do most everything as long as I pampered that hand. Yes it did effect my sleep but not like the pain used to.

I decided from this, I had nothing to complain about since I caused it. And for me, I know what the cause is so I can fix it quite quickly, of course there is always a slight fear that this time it won't "fix" but so far it always has.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, keep your chin up, it'll cool off soon and in the meantime do whatever you can to make your hands feel better and reduce the inflammation.

Dorey

www.LivingWithRheumatoidArthritis.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Sandy Myers

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 4:15 PM

Subject: Re: Swollen Fingers

Hello, guys I have the swollen wrists which were fused bu still swell and

fingers and knuckles, I like to crochet and i haven't been able too lately.

My wedding rings no longer fit. I hate it.. Ok I complained sorry.

But sometimes you can't help too...Sandy john no_way <kentuckycowboy1@...> wrote:

Hello ,

Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause some peoples R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows feet and toes fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

later john <catdelouise@...> wrote:

I am not sure if this is RA or just the effects of the high temperatures and humidity, but on and off my fingers are painful and swollen. It hurts to wear my wedding rings. Sometimes the undersides of my fingers are red or have red horizontal lines through them. They feel like someone is squeezing them, like I have no circulation.Any thoughts? Thanks,

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

My fingers are the size of sausages. I came out of the last flare where my knuckles were twice the size and my fingers too. I blame it on "GET THIS" lifting heavy bags from the market. Those plastic bags cut into my knuckles and fingers something awful. It makes them alot worse and then I never know if I will come out of it. I only wear rings on special occasions, where they swell to a size 7.5 from a 5.25. Use ice off and on. It should help. Also I find that using epson salts in a basin of warm water soothes them. I have taken to using the foot bath with the vibrating action. IT does help. Have a SWELL SUNDAY all. Deborah

[Guest guest]

When I flared badly a couple of weeks ago, I thought I was going to have to have

my wedding ring cut off! The DR put me on a six day regimine of steroids and

the swelling went down in 24 hours. I haven't been able to get my wedding ring

off for years. I hope I don't eventually have to have it cut off.

Sharon

[Guest guest]

At Home Depot I got a BIG carabiner clip that is specially made for carrying

bags and such. It is about six inches long and has a foam padding on one side.

You can clip three or four plastic bags on it and carry it by the padded handle.

Sharon

[Guest guest]

Love the idea of a carrying device for plastic bags... I try and ask for paper because it seems so much easier to carry them (that is if I am not breaking up a wrestling match at the check out stand between my 5 year olds and I get distracted and then end up with plastic...) My hands have been swollen for awhile, I also get numbness at night or while I am driving long distances. I am not sure whether to attach it to the RA or the heat and humidity... I think I shall pay more attention this winter and see if I am still swollen.Good Luck to All,SamOn Aug 14, 2005, at 5:59 AM, Sharon Wertz wrote: At Home Depot I got a BIG carabiner clip that is specially made for carrying bags and such.  It is about six inches long and has a foam padding on one side.  You can clip three or four plastic bags on it and carry it by the padded handle. Sharon

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the Tip Sharon!!!!!!! Who knew. Yours Deborah

[Guest guest]

My wedding rings were the first thing to go.....I am having them made into a

pendant to hang on a chain. Even now I don't feel comfortabe wearing them,

perhaps because I have too many experiences of waking up with my fingers

swollen over the ring and having to figure out how to get them off this

time.

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: " Sharon Wertz " <sbwertz@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2005 5:51 AM

Subject: Re: Swollen Fingers

> When I flared badly a couple of weeks ago, I thought I was going to have

> to have my wedding ring cut off! The DR put me on a six day regimine of

> steroids and the swelling went down in 24 hours. I haven't been able to

> get my wedding ring off for years. I hope I don't eventually have to have

> it cut off.

>

> Sharon

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately, by the time I was diagnosed with RA it was already too late to

get the ring off. I haven't been able to get it off for almost ten years. So

far it is OK. The knuckle is too large to slip the ring over, but the finger

itself isn't too swollen (at least right at the moment.) I may have to have it

cut off. Then I can have it repaired and resized. It is just a plain gold

band...I'm not much into jewelry, but it seems to have done the job...we've been

married 43 years!

Sharon

> My wedding rings were the first thing to go.....I am having them made into a

> pendant to hang on a chain. Even now I don't feel comfortabe wearing them,

> perhaps because I have too many experiences of waking up with my fingers

> swollen over the ring and having to figure out how to get them off this

> time.

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/13/2005 5:00:35 P.M. Central Standard Time, kentuckycowboy1@... writes:

Hello ,

Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause some peoples R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows feet and toes fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

later john

Doing much, much better when it's HOT and humid. Anything below 40 degrees F I start to flare.

Becky

[Guest guest]

Darned if I know what type of weather sets me off at this point! I

think it is the change in the weather. The weather here has

become less hot and less humid suddenly.

My fingers and hands are still swelling. I only had maybe 4

hours of sleep last night and here I am at work! I was laying in

bed icing my hands. The pain isn't the worse ever, I don't have

that broken bone type feeling, I just have pain from the swelling,

numbness and tingling, and I feel like my circulation is cut off-

what fun! Sleeping with it is very difficult because I am so

uncomfortable.

I am on Humira and was doing very well on it. I suppose I will

call my Rheumatologist today and see if he has any

suggestions. (Sigh)

--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , StarsHutch@a...

wrote:

>

>

> In a message dated 8/13/2005 5:00:35 P.M. Central Standard

Time,

> kentuckycowboy1@y... writes:

>

> Hello ,

> Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause

some peoples

> R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows

feet and toes

> fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

>

> later john

>

>

>

>

> Doing much, much better when it's HOT and humid. Anything

below 40 degrees

> F I start to flare.

>

> Becky

[Guest guest]

hi, . I find that sleeping in the recliner, with my hands folder over my chest, keeps my hands elevated enough so that they don't swell so badly. but I to am still working full time, and I know 4 hours sleep just isn't enough. hang in there...gentle hugs, Marcia <catdelouise@...> wrote:

Darned if I know what type of weather sets me off at this point! I think it is the change in the weather. The weather here has become less hot and less humid suddenly.My fingers and hands are still swelling. I only had maybe 4 hours of sleep last night and here I am at work! I was laying in bed icing my hands. The pain isn't the worse ever, I don't have that broken bone type feeling, I just have pain from the swelling, numbness and tingling, and I feel like my circulation is cut off- what fun! Sleeping with it is very difficult because I am so uncomfortable.I am on Humira and was doing very well on it. I suppose I will call my Rheumatologist today and see if he has any suggestions. (Sigh)--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , StarsHutch@a...

wrote:> > > In a message dated 8/13/2005 5:00:35 P.M. Central Standard Time, > kentuckycowboy1@y... writes:> > Hello ,> Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause some peoples > R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows feet and toes > fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????>

> later john> > > > > Doing much, much better when it's HOT and humid. Anything below 40 degrees > F I start to flare.> > Becky__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

,

I am very familiar with feeling that the swelling in your fingers and

wrists is so bad that it causes pain, numbness and tingling. The

last time it was really bad for me, I had cortisone injections in

both of my thumbs. However, the injections were excrutiatingly

painful and not particularly effective.

I wrote this group recently about starting tai chi -- it has helped

more than any medications. I can feel an increase in circulation in

my hands that doesn't result in the excess swelling many exercises

create for me. I know that when you're in a serious flair up it

seems hard to imagine doing any extra movement, but it has really

helped me. However, it is important to make sure you work with a

reputable instructor who is aware of your physical issues.

I hope you feel better,

Andie

> >

> >

> > In a message dated 8/13/2005 5:00:35 P.M. Central Standard

> Time,

> > kentuckycowboy1@y... writes:

> >

> > Hello ,

> > Well it could be both the high humidity and heat does cause

> some peoples

> > R/A to act up it does mine badly but its my shoulders elbows

> feet and toes

> > fingers are not as bad as the wrist imo that ????

>

>

> > later john

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Doing much, much better when it's HOT and humid. Anything

> below 40 degrees

> > F I start to flare.

> >

> > Becky

[Guest guest]

Eileen has had it really bad in the fingers and wrists for the last

couple weeks. She's been sleeping propped up on the couch, and can only

fall asleep if her right arm is above her head, heh. She sees her Ortho

tomorrow.

Just commiserating,

Don & Eileen

Marcia Stoyle wrote:

> hi, . I find that sleeping in the recliner, with my hands

> folder over my chest, keeps my hands elevated enough so that they don't

> swell so badly. but I to am still working full time, and I know 4 hours

> sleep just isn't enough. hang in there...gentle hugs, Marcia

>

> <catdelouise@...> wrote:

>

> Darned if I know what type of weather sets me off at this point! I

> think it is the change in the weather. The weather here has

> become less hot and less humid suddenly.

>

> My fingers and hands are still swelling. I only had maybe 4

> hours of sleep last night and here I am at work! I was laying in

> bed icing my hands. The pain isn't the worse ever, I don't have

> that broken bone type feeling, I just have pain from the swelling,

> numbness and tingling, and I feel like my circulation is cut off-

> what fun! Sleeping with it is very difficult because I am so

> uncomfortable.

>

> I am on Humira and was doing very well on it. I suppose I will

> call my Rheumatologist today and see if he has any

> suggestions. (Sigh)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Don I'm so sorry to hear this. There is a problem with sleeping that way,

unfortunately (it's because of the shoulders right) and sleeping with your

arms up like that puts more stress on the shoulder. I remember only too

well, that was the only way I could sleep, both arms up over my head and I

discussed it with the doctor, outcome was I had to learn to keep my arms

down.

Dorey

www.LivingWithRheumatoidArthritis.com

----- Original Message -----

From: " Donk " <d.knieriem@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:12 PM

Subject: Re: Re: Swollen Fingers

Eileen has had it really bad in the fingers and wrists for the last

couple weeks. She's been sleeping propped up on the couch, and can only

fall asleep if her right arm is above her head, heh. She sees her Ortho

tomorrow.

Just commiserating,

Don & Eileen

Marcia Stoyle wrote:

> hi, . I find that sleeping in the recliner, with my hands

> folder over my chest, keeps my hands elevated enough so that they don't

> swell so badly. but I to am still working full time, and I know 4 hours

> sleep just isn't enough. hang in there...gentle hugs, Marcia

>

> <catdelouise@...> wrote:

>

> Darned if I know what type of weather sets me off at this point! I

> think it is the change in the weather. The weather here has

> become less hot and less humid suddenly.

>

> My fingers and hands are still swelling. I only had maybe 4

> hours of sleep last night and here I am at work! I was laying in

> bed icing my hands. The pain isn't the worse ever, I don't have

> that broken bone type feeling, I just have pain from the swelling,

> numbness and tingling, and I feel like my circulation is cut off-

> what fun! Sleeping with it is very difficult because I am so

> uncomfortable.

>

> I am on Humira and was doing very well on it. I suppose I will

> call my Rheumatologist today and see if he has any

> suggestions. (Sigh)

>

>

>