wonky fingers

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gemmapetken
gemmapetken Member Posts: 263
edited 25. Mar 2009, 15:06 in Chat to our Helpline Team archive
Hi
I have been diagnosed with RA since dec 2007. It is mainly in my hands. I have recently (8 weeks ago) been put on to sulpha. THe last two weeks i have noticed that my middle fingers on both hands have been turning inwards. It gets worse throughout the day. My ring fingers, again on both hands are starting to curve as well. My index fingers seem to be sticking out.

I have noticed this week that it seems to be getting worse.

I have the abillity to ring my rheumy nurse but feel like i have spoken to her a lot in the last couple of months, i dont want to become a burden. I have posted on living with arthritis and people say I should contact her. What do you think? Do you know of any exercises I can do to help? Im only 27 and feel like this is getting me down so much, i dont want the rhuemy nurse to think i phone her on a whim!!

Gemma

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  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,490
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Dear Gemma,

    I've read a some of your messages to pick up some background and have understood that you've been on at least one other dmard recently and switched to sulphazelazine following stomach side effects.

    I would really understand if you were to say this situation is frustrating for you. And making a judgement over whether to talk to the clinic people may not be straightforward. Strictly the nurse may not be able to say much about the sulpha yet as your treatment still has a way to go. But your concerns that your hands may be becoming deformed sounds important. (But when was the last conversation with the nurse?)

    I wonder how much support you've had so far with self-management? Clearly you are making plenty of use of the forum, but how are discussions with medics going?

    If you are trying to make a judgement on the control of your arthritis it can be helpful to get full answers over your test results. The clinic can let you into the target figures they are aiming for with your blood results. On the same subject you could ask for a Disease Activity Score to be done (this can determine if you are elligible for other treatments.)

    Have the hands been x-rayed when you were first diagnosed? It could be time to find out when this needs doing again. And see this practical information http://www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/patpubs/6055/6055.asp

    If you are feeling like all this is too much emotionally, then we'd probably encourage you to give us a ring here.

    Hope we can help a bit more

    Guy
  • gemmapetken
    gemmapetken Member Posts: 263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thank you.

    I called the rhuemy nurse last week because the tablets were making me dizzy. She told me to drop the dose down for a week then go abck to four tablets a day again.

    I was MTX before leflumide.

    I feel like i get a bit better then something eles happens and i feel down again. It has taken me a while to come to terms with this as I used to sail and enjoy camping. I managed to go in feb but not without problems.

    My hands were x-rayed in jan 2008 and showed very little deteriation. I feel like they are getting worse and my next appointment is in May.

    I will read the leaflet you gave me and ask at my next appointment about self managment.

    Thank you again
    Gemma
  • gemmapetken
    gemmapetken Member Posts: 263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    hi
    thanx for the info.

    I spoke to the rhuemy nurse (not my normal one) and she suggested keeping my fingers in warm water and moving them so I dont loose the full range of movements. She is going to talk to the usual nurse when she returns from holidays!

    Thanks

    Gemma
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