what do you think?

louisabone

Hi I'm new here (obvious by my post count perhaps lol)

My names louisa, and i'm 27 (almost said 25 haha wishful thinking perhaps)

So ive been having some hand problems and its pretty bad so exxcuse my typing, my GP thinks it might be rhumatoid arthritus i have a blood test booked to confirm but i read its not always conclusive so i thought asking other people might be able to tell me if it sounds like it is... lifes pretty hard coping atm so i would like to know if i shuld be looking long term or if ive got some freak bug which will clear and i can dress myself independantly in the future lol

So here is the story so far...

I went out with family a week ago my hands got cold my left hand was agony i couldnt use it, the knuckles were red and slightly swollen.. it also became very stiff if i didnt move it it stiffened up if i did move it it hurt (win win situation there really :? ) also when it gets really stiff my fingers bunch togeather (my outter fingers sit under my middle two) if i move them they move back
The my other hand also started hurting exactly the same as the other one (except the fingers dont bunch up)

I cant use the fingers to do anything small i cant dress or anything the joints (wrist to finger but not thumbs on both hands) hurt and are so stiff... i feel liek they are grating in the joints and yeah the pain

I was given Neoproxen (Sp?) but i had a nasty allergic reaction (its not been a good week) ive been on codine (30mg) which takes the edge off as long as i dont over to it with the fingers

The stiffness is constant but worse in the mornings or if i dont move the fingers
If the hands get cold OMG it makes it hurt so bad!!!

So your all the experts really you live with this stuff... does this sound like rhumatoid arthritus?

valval

hi there are a couple of hundred types of arthritis and they all affect us different so it hard to tell i always wear gloves in winter and if truth told Autumn and spring wheat bags help (heat in micro) with the right meds things do improve if naproxen did not suit you do not worry there are loads of different ones and that just the basic first step with most types of Arther have you got a referral to rheumy yet??? good luck val

CJHunter

Hiya, If your doc hasnt seen hands at worse take pics and take them with ya when u go back.

Have you been refered to a reumatologist? has G.P taken bloods? Do/have u started a pain diary.

Sorry if im not much help do go and talk to GP asap though.

Take care

tjt6768

Hi, I think Clare has some good advice with taking photos...
I've got RA in my hands & wrists, but I don't get too much swelling, just fingers that puff up a bit. It's early days though, lol.. I wouldn't want to even try to say yes or no mi dear.. Just keep on at the docs, get a referral as mentioned to the rheumy if you haven't already.. Blood tests don't always tell the while story but can be a good marker..

Wishing you all the best, please let us know how you go on?

And welcome to the forum if I haven't already said it...

dreamdaisy

Oh dear, I hate to say this but who knows? I have two sorts of arthritis (one as a result of the other) and I know my hands can be bad when the inflammatory version flares (like now) but as mine started so differently, and I don't have RA, I honestly don't know what could be troubling you. I think that RA is usally diagnosed as a result of blood tests showing a positive rheumatoid factor (positive RF) but there are forms of inflammatory arthritis which are called sero-negative (ie no RF is present) - I have one of those. You need to go to your GP and tell him what has been happening to you and I hope he will order some blood tests. If the results come back as sero-negative that does not necessarily mean no arthritis, as valval so wisely said there are many forms of arthritis and not all are easily diagnosed. As for your hands well, all I can suggest is that maybe soaking them in a bowl of warm water may help first thing, that could ease the stiffness, as does gentle exercise such as pretending to play a piano. Please see your GP soon and I hope he can help. I wish you well. DD

louisabone

I have blood tests booked on wednesday but when i googled it said they dont always show positive when you have it and that either 1 or 2 out of 10 with RA the rf is negitive

i took a photo the first day as i couldnt explain to someone what my hand was like ill take more

pain diary bit pointless... it hurts all the time

the dr not so helpful no referals she said shes never heard of anything making the hand so sore and useless when it gets cold but will get a blood test for RA as thats all she could think of (my gps not the best in world)

I was kinda hoping it was something that would disapear but tbh its getting worse not better and im in dispare

flossy47

I have the same problem when it gets cold. I've just got over a flare up caused by the recent cold spell. I have early inflammatory arthritis and my hands swell and go red.
As everyone else has said until you have seen a rheumatologist you won't know. If your gp won't refer you ask to see a different one. My old gp wouldn't refer me so I saw a new one and she referred me straight away.

louisabone

I've taken a picture of what my worst hands like atm i'll keep a photo diary for my gp

I'll also compose a list of what really hurts to do

i need to sort painkillers out (codines making me feel sick) so i might seee if i can get a refferal while waiting for blood test as i doubt i would be seen quickly

My heating doesnt work so if i put it in warm water it would get worse cause of the cold air lol

tjt6768

Did I read that right..... Your heating doesn't work :shock:
That must be a major health issue :shock:
I hope that gets sorted soon...

louisabone

it will be next friday (they brought us an electric heater which kept sparking so we decided going without was safer) some stupid box thing needs replacing something about a pump

we had one hell of a week (my hands, my heating, we had a water pipe burst, serious reaction to tablets lol, talking throat swelling reaction, no gas as banks lost some money while transfering money between them )

suzygirl

Do you have raynauds? My hands change colour in the cold and they get red and swollen as the feeling returns. That may partly explain the soreness.

louisabone

Okay this is how my hands been i can move it from these positions but it hurts more and it sneaks back into it

First few days

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422354_10150670905243035_641173034_11248294_1258046804_n.jpg

yesterday

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429538_10150689649328035_641173034_11294027_1595926516_n.jpg

today

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/418673_10150690907093035_641173034_11299069_1825932249_n.jpg

RoseEllen

Hello Louisa, you've really had a bad run of luck lately, you poor thing!!

Re your poor hands, as everyone has said its so hard to know. The RA factor test can show raised bloods, but then when you get to your appt they tell you that it might not mean anything, as you have said.

I had to keep pestering my gp to even do the blood tests for five months, with nine visits before I had a positive result, and was referred

I do have RA, so does my husband, and I really dont want to scare you, but his hands go just as your photo shows. Mine get red and swollen and painful, but not like that. Of course, this doesnt mean ANYTHING!!!

If you do have raynauds, then wearing warm gloves, and keeping warm is a big thing, I have raynauds too.

I hope you get some results soon, and I sincerely hope you dont have RA, take care of yourself x