painful finger

debram

Ok it's just a finger but I can't believe how much pain I have in my wedding ring finger!
I have psoriatic arthritis and take 20 my Methotrexate a week and am on weekly Enbrel.
I have widespread pain in all my joints but (although it doesnt always seem like it!) I do get periods of pain relief with my Tramadol and paracetamol.
I take occasional ibuprofen but as I'm asthmatic I have to limit it so I tend to take it when my foot swells.
My pain can be chronic, especially my hands shoulders hips and feet but for 3 weeks my ring finger has been constant pain.
It's swollen - I took my wedding ring off before it got too bad!
My other fingers click and crunch , grip is affected. My little fingers are permanently bent and this one is bending now.

I have nodules on my fingers for a while and do get trigger thumb and pain in others but I'm thinking when will this end and what can I do?
I thought the idea behind Enbrel was to slow things down.

I've had several cortisone shots in the past in my thumb, shoulder and elbow. I've tried heat and ice- I have orthapedic elastic gloves and splints-anyone recommend anything else?

Thanks guys

X Deb x

dreamdaisy

Oh dear, it's not a case of 'only' a finger is it? This comes on top of all the other aches and pains that we tolerate on a daily basis. Mind you, there are those who fall apart with just one painful finger while their other joints are OK - pain is pain is pain but some don't know they're born.

I reckon you are doing all you can but, for whatever reason, the finger is not responding to your actions. Sometimes the disease will beat the meds because it can. :roll: I am pleased that you have removed your ring - they are very special things and having one cut off is very upsetting. In your shoes I would be contacting my rheumatology unit to let them know that things are not that happy, it may be time to tweak some meds? DD

debram

Thanks DD- Yeh that's why I put "only a finger"- had some of "those" comments already.
I'll have to start wearing my ring on a chain - it's been on for 32 years now- well a new one in between! Doesn't feel right without it- ill have to have a tatoo ring - that pain won't match this! Lol

Today Ill have to laugh or ill cry!

I'll have to make that call to my rheumi clinic!
X

dreamdaisy

Those around us live with the theory of pain (and don't they grumble when something relatively minor (and will heal) goes wrong) whereas we are living with the awful reality of the on-going, grinding and unrelenting nature of it. I think arthritis is a case of one damned thing after another, and that in itself can erode our spirits, but I reckon this is a situation that your rheumatologist should be aware of. Go on girl, make that call while I put the kettle on for a rewarding cuppa. DD

debram

Lol you deserve that cuppa!

stickywicket

I agree. A finger might just be a finger but it's on top of all the other stuff. How are your bloods? Are the meds (at least theoretically) doing their job? Yes, let rheumatology sort this one out and I do hope they can.

debram

Bloods done yesterday so ill ring for results Monday- speak to rheumatology than as clinic only open 3 days.

They had trouble getting blood so asked me to clench my fist hard and keep going to pump my arm. "Gotta be joking" was my reply!
Don't realise how much you rely on each joint, limb, digit.
After one conversation where I was rebuking myself by saying "there are people a lot worse off than me so why am I moaning"- a disabled person(missing limbs) said to me- trouble is its worse for you as you've always had use of it, I haven't, you have pain there, I don't!
Mmmh never thought of it like that!
Wise words and empathy. X

stickywicket

debram wrote:

a disabled person(missing limbs) said to me- trouble is its worse for you as you've always had use of it, I haven't, you have pain there, I don't!

Blimey, what a wonderful, positive attitude I hope I can learn from that.

farmgirl

Hi, just stumbled across this topic, I have psa as well and my fingers some days are so painful I'm not sure how I manage...................

At the moment I have 4 swollen fingers, I live on a farm and have 2 horses so as you can imagine it's a pain in the BUM or should I say FINGER!!!
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with silly fingers so it's nice to read about other people's.
At the moment I'm trying to order some winter riding gloves so that I can cope when the cold weather comes.
xx

dreamdaisy

Hello Debram, we're a few days on now and I hope things have improved for you. DD

debram

Hi all,
Been a while-ring finger still swollen.
Thumbs causing me problems injecting now. I had envelope epi pen but as it was going in too hard/fast it left massive bruises. So I switched to syringe. I self inject every weds and whilst had issues early on(bruising) it was going ok this time round.
I'm finding it hard to use syringe as you have to grab skin with one hand and hold syringe in the other -I can't open my thumb wide enough to push it down.
My hubby says he can't do it for me- I did try asking him!! He's too squeamish! .
Does the gp surgery offer help to inject biologic when we have bad hands?
I've got trigger thumb in right hand and although cortisone injection helped can still feel the "pull" this is in both thumbs now.

My legs in a right state tonight as I don't think I managed to get the syringe in far enough and I've got a large red hot patch that's now bruising.

Farm girl - sorry about your hands but yes it's good to see that other people have issues too- your not alone!!! Perhaps good to know isn't the right phrase but you know what I mean . lol

Thanks for all kind words & replies

Hope the winter doesn't cause any of us too many problems!!

Deb xx

LignumVitae

Hi Deb
I'm sorry things aren't much better. I think you have to go to rheumatology to get the injections done for you. I don't think GPs do it. I may be wrong so it might be worth calling to check. Do you have anybody other than your husband who might do it? Failing that, can he not be persuaded to overcome his squeamishness? It's for a very good cause after all! Hope you sort this soon.

debram

My hubby just said he will do it if he can shut his eyes!
xx

farmgirl

Hi all, i inject myself every Wednesday using a Metoject pre-filled pen and find it very easy, it only takes a few seconds and leaves no sore site or bruising, well worth trying to get it this way.

Silly fingers still swollen and painful but since starting the injections i have more energy, so better quality of life. xxx