Arthritis in Hands

Val6arras

Hi, I’ve had osteoarthritis in my hands for some years now and it comes and goes, but I’m having a painful flare up just now. There are knobbly joints but they don’t actually hurt, it’s the pain and tingling in hands and wrists that’s the worst.

My GP has been helpful and I’ve had my hands X-rayed and then told its “ wear and tear” , I have Psoriasis too but they say it’s not Psoriatic.

I’ve tried chatting on line before but here I am again. The thing is I feel like a fraud when some people are so bad with their symptoms and with me it’s only my hands.

I would just like to find someone with a similar problem to ask how they cope with this. I’ve just turned 70 , I’m healthy and reasonably fit but this is making me feel so much older because I’m limited to what I can do. I’m also lucky to have a wonderful husband who can do things for me, but what do people do who live on their own?

There seems to be no evidence that diet helps, I’m told, but a strange thing for me is that twice in recent years I’ve had operations in hospital where I’ve lost weight through not eating and the arthritis symptoms have gone, no one can explain that to me!

I don’t want to sit back and give in to this, I’ve got a life to lead, surely there must be something out there to alleviate my pain apart from taking loads of CO codamol. I can’t take Ibroprofen, although I have the gel.

Still not finding this easy to share as it’s so much easier to talk to someone rather than write it all down.

does anyone know that changing diet works?

supplements that don’t constipate!

does Versus have a diet sheet that people have found helpful?

any help gratefully received, thankyou

Val McGavin

Tom

Good morning. @Val6arras,

Firstly, you are not a fraud. Your pain is real to you and deserves consideration. You demonstrate the real answer in your determination to carry on with your life.

If you prefer talking to reading then I suggest you call our helpline team on 0800 5200 520

helpline_team

Hi Val6arras

Thank you for posting on the forum and please don’t feel like a fraud, it’s ok that it’s only in your hands. I am glad you have a wonderful husband who can do things for you.

As you say it’s much easier to talk to someone rather than writing it all down, I’m wondering if you’d like to give us a ring on our helpline: 0800 5200 520 (weekdays 9am – 8pm).  Here we can take our time to talk about your OA and all that involves.  

In the meantime, I have given you a couple of links which may be useful for you:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/diet/

For more responses and experiences of others you might like to repost on the ‘living with arthritis’ forum:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/living-with-arthritis-forum

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-hand-and-wrist/

I hope this is of some help.

Best wishes

Lynda

Helpline Advisor

Loggiemod

Hi

I know what you mean about the flare-ups. I have arthritis in both my hands. It was only my left up until Christmas and then the right one started too. It was very painful all over Christmas and took a couple of months and subsided to the point where I spent most of yesterday gardening. It is just a dull ache at present but it will come and go. I try not to take medication for this unless it gets really painful.

I just look forward to the good times. Don't feel like a fraud - this disease affects us in different ways, but the pain is the same wherever you get it

Take care

Traps

hi, i feel your pain, i have hand OA and although i am younger than yourself ive about had enough, especially with work. the pain typing etc anodising a computer all day is agony. i have had trapeziectomy and am waiting further X-rays for other fingers, wrist and other hand. i can't open things, grip, carry or do up things like bra's, pull up clothing etc. i try to just get on with it but working full-time means i can't concentrate on my own health. any tips for me too would be grateful. and happy to chat on here.

PeterJ

Hello @Traps and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that that will be your experience as well.

I understand that you have OA in your hands and wrists, something I can well understand as I have that too. Can I suggest that you have a look at our website which contains a lot of useful information and a good search function. To help you I've put a couple of links in below which you might find useful.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/hand-and-wrist-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-hand-and-wrist/

Please do keep posting and I hope that others will connect with you and share their experiences as well

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

Sharon_K

Hi @Traps

hand arthrits is awful. It is possible to get talking software to limit your use of typing. It would be worth looking at an access to work assessment.

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

I have Dragon (other systems are available) and a special mouse. So I just talk what I want to write. I hope this helps

Best Wishes

Sharon

helpline_team

Hi @Traps

Thank you for posting on the forum, it sounds as if your going through a challenging time with the pain you are experiencing particularly at work. I can see you have had really helpful responses from Peter and Sharon.

You are very welcome to give us a call on our helpline: 0800 5200 520 (9am-6pm weekdays) here we can take our time to talk informally and in confidence, a listening ear can sometimes be helpful.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/get-help/helpline/

For more responses you might like to repost on our living with arthritis forum: 

https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/living-with-arthritis-forum

Best wishes

Lynda

Helpline Advisor

Jona

Hi all,

Just thought I’d share I’ve recently been given tens gloves well 1 really by the pain clinic it takes the edge off but doesn’t stop pain like the one I use for my neck you may need to go through pain clinic to get one though

good luck 💐😊