Stupid swollen hands and wrists

Sarah30

Hi

I'm 30 and had RA for 14 years and even though I've had some very rough years of late I have been well for sometime. However I'm cutting down my steriods in an attempt to be steriod free this year and made it down to 1mg per day. Down side of this is my hands are very weak and swelling a lot and causing me a great deal of pain. I have wrist supports to settle them but don't know as tricks to settle my finger joints (mainly my knuckles), anyone got any tips????

Thanks

valval

ice (wrapped) then wheat bag or soak in warm water val

Sarah30

I have given that a go before but not to much relief but thank you for replying x

refereerick

Hi Sarah,
I suffer with swollen hands/knuckles too and no strength in them and shaking too. I use ice packs and although it helps relieve the pain it doesn't do much for the swelling. I saw my GP on Friday and shes referring me to see occupational health and has recommended some wax baths for my hands, apparently they are really good. Maybe you could see your GP about this too? Hope you get some relief soon, Rick x

stickywicket

Hello Sarah and welcome to the forum. I have RA too, though for much longer than you. I’ve done the steroid thing in the past and well done you for getting right down to 1 mg daily. It’s no mean feat. You don’t say what you are taking in their place. I presume DMARDS or anti-tnfs. Could you take more of these to help counteract the effect of coming off the steroids? If your hands are swelling a lot and weak it sounds as if you might need stronger meds. What does your rheumatologist say?

One lady on here has just been given finger supports. I’d never heard of them before and it’s probably too early for her to be able to say if they’re working well but it might be something to broach with your rheumatologist. Other than meds or splints, I think, as Val suggested, it’s just a matter of ice or heat, whichever does it for you, though exercises might help. (AC produce a booklet on them.)

Rick - I had wax baths many years ago. I found them very soothing short term but they didn't change anything.

Sarah30

Thank you for the replies

May try a wax hand treatment at a beautians just to see if it helps.

Anti-TNF's only worked for me for 6 years and for the past five ive been on retuximab which has been great upto now. I also take methotrexate so my speak with rheumatogist next week about increasing them.

stickywicket

The rheumatologist will be the best person to ask as he/she will have the big picture on you and know if the meds need increasing or if it's just something that can be dealt with using physio, splints or more pain relief. Meanwhile, if you try a wax bath, and find it helps, the rheumatologist might be able to refer you for more. Good luck!

Numptydumpty

Hi, I have RA, and suffer with swollen, painful hands and wrists.
I can't do ice, it makes me ache more. I find wheat bags help, but only marginally. I have a wax bath, it's quite soothing, but again doesn't last.
For me, the most effective thing is splinting. I have various splints for different problems. At the moment I wear wrist and thumb splints twenty four seven as the pain is excruciating. (I'm waiting for a wrist fusion).
I sometimes wear my paddle splints during the day, but of course I can't do anything at all whilst wearing them.
I also have ring splints for my fingers, (the finger knuckles are bending the wrong way, more surgery for the future) which I wear all of the time.
Physio exercises are very important to maintain what strength and movement you do have, and hopefully improve on it.
I don't think there is a magic answer, but if you find one please let me know.
Good luck, wishing you well,
Numpty

pepperflo

I'm so happy to have found this topic, as I too am suffering with very painful wrists and swollen fingers.
I had a injection into my wrist end of April, but it has now worn off, and I'm back to square one with the weakness and pain in it, my fingers are constantly swollen, and over the last 3 weeks my ankles have really swollen up, I feel like Mr Blobby, My next app with the Rheumatologist is beg of Sept, but my gp has suggested I bring my app forward, which I have tried to do today, but no answer as yet.
I have a splint I wear on my wrist, but I'm restricted on what I can do with it.
I'm on methotrexate and Sulphasalazine, also other pain killers and anti inflammotries etc.
I'm very down at the moment, and feeling very sorry for myself, no motivation what so ever, I'm still sat in my pj's today, and dreading bedtime, as I can't sleep, and I know the pain will start, my knees will start to burn and ache, my fingers and wrists will, last night I had 2 hot water bottles on the go, 1 on my wrist and the other across my knees. I just don't know what to do with myself at times.sorry for the moan xx

rgt2

Hi,

I have not posted on this forum before, and I do not suffer from arthritis. However my grandmother has had rheumatoid arthritis for many years and I have been trying to learn more about it so that I can support her.

I noticed this topic because despite her feeling pain all over, it seems to be her hands that get to her the most. For instance, she always loved to write letters to people, which now is impossible for her.
I wondered if anyone here knew of any writing aids that are effective? Even if it is not a complete solution to the pain, it would be nice to find a way she can continue with the activities she enjoys.

It is encouraging to see people here who have kept trying various treatments until they find what does or does not work for them, and then carrying on. I hopefully will be able to support my grandmother towards this.

vwkamper

Washing in cold water seems to help mine so i think i'll try the ice packs, my knuckles and wrists and elbows are giving me grief in this heat.
They feel like puffed up meat balls. :?

Cold works better for me.

lexy.

LignumVitae

Contrast baths so ice water in one and warm in the other, swap between the two? It sometimes works for me when using either warm or cold alone doesn't. Good luck LV xx

stickywicket

rgt2 wrote:

Hi,

I have not posted on this forum before, and I do not suffer from arthritis. However my grandmother has had rheumatoid arthritis for many years and I have been trying to learn more about it so that I can support her.

I noticed this topic because despite her feeling pain all over, it seems to be her hands that get to her the most. For instance, she always loved to write letters to people, which now is impossible for her.
I wondered if anyone here knew of any writing aids that are effective? Even if it is not a complete solution to the pain, it would be nice to find a way she can continue with the activities she enjoys.

It is encouraging to see people here who have kept trying various treatments until they find what does or does not work for them, and then carrying on. I hopefully will be able to support my grandmother towards this.

Hello rgt2 and welcome to the forum. What a thoughtful grand-daughter you are! I hope I get as good treatment from my two grandsons when the time comes

There are writing aids. If she is computer literate it is, believe me, much easier to type on a keyboard (though I'm not as good on a laptop) than to write manually. There is even voice awareness software one can buy. Even if she doesn't currently use a computer, she might enjoy the adventure of learning, either with your help or by joining a class.

However, if your grandmother prefers writing manually, most disability shops, on and off-line, (and probably Am*z*n) sell specially thick pens which are much easier to grasp. (Or you can adapt an ordinary one using some foam) I guess it all depends on how her hands are affected. My own fingers bend in all sorts of unexpected ways but I still have a couple I can type with. Writing is harder though - and, increasingly, less legible :oops:

I think you'll get more ideas from others if you copy your post into a new thread. It'll probably get a bit lost here in the middle of someone else's. Good luck, to both of you.

rgt2

Hi stickywicket,

Thanks very much for the reply. I will try posting this into a new topic, I am new to forums so wasn't too sure how it worked. I didn't want to be posting irrelevant things either by being someone who does not suffer from arthritis!

Thank you for your advice as well about the writing aids. Unfortunately I don't think my grandmother would be very keen on using a computer, as she is quite uneasy about trying new things.
She does not like to draw attention to the fact that she struggles, even being uncomfortable to go anywhere outside of the house in her wheelchair with anyone other than my Granddad. It is for this reason that I hoped to learn more about what she is going through so she will be able to be more open about it.

The voice awareness software you mention sounds interesting, I will look into this and perhaps install it onto my own computer so she can have a go. I have found a few pens that look promising too so I will try buying the thicker one of these.

Thanks for your help.