Wedding Rings

[Bailybiscuit]

This is not really health related but I wondered what others do when they can no longer wear their wedding ring. I had mine put in to be enlarged a few years ago and the jeweller lost it. I then wore rings I had inherited from Aunts and my Mother. Now I can't wear any of them as my knuckle is too big. If I had them enlarged they would be too big once over the knuckle. Does anyone know of anyone having a ring that is not joined at the back to allow for swollen fingers? I do have a very cheap one like this but I mean a gold one.

[Crusee]

Hi.

I have had the same problem.I had a ring of my mums on my right hand and it was too small to get past my knuckle so I had to have it cut off.The jeweller rejoined it and I have worn it on a gold chain around my neck since.

The issue I have now is with my wedding ring and eternity ring on my left hand- the same thing has happened .Knuckles too big and can't get them off.

I will have to get them cut off again.My rheumy keeps telling me to get them off there soon, although they are not actually hurting me they do look very tight.I am really holding out before I have to do this as it is my wedding ring,and I feel I won't be married if I don't wear my ring- silly I know but that's how I feel.

So eventually these will end up on my chain round my neck as well unless I can find some other way of wearing them.

Not sure if you can get your gold ring converted to one that is not joined at the back- be interesting to know.

Good luck hope you find what you're looking for.

Crushed

XX

[helixhelix]

A proper jeweller should be able to put a butterfly spring or hinged shank in your ring so you can still wear it, and get it over your knuckle.

[Crusee in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you helix- this is something I will certainly look into.

Thanks again.

Crusee

XX

[PFKAAde]

When I got married my fingers were slightly swollen and a few years later I could no longer get my ring on so I bought a cheap silver 'temporary' one that I could get on (the other is platinum).

When I went on biologics my fingers got a bit better and I lost the replacement in the post box when I posted a letter. 😬

I've worn my actual wedding ring for years, but over the last year or so I have been losing weight and possibly my fingers are not as inflamed and a few months ago it slipped off a couple of times (but I caught it as it did).

So I went back to the shop I got it and they reduced it in size (by two sizes) and it fits perfectly now. 😀 And they did it for free.

I'm hoping I haven't tempted fate and my fingers will swell up again, although the jeweller did say they could enlarge it again if needed - but only for a few times or it weakens it.

If I couldn't ever get it on I'd buy a chain and wear it round my neck.

[Bailybiscuit in reply to PFKAAde]

I hope when I get on Etanercept my fingers go back to how they were.

[PFKAAde in reply to Bailybiscuit]

I would say fingers crossed 😳 but you know what I mean.

I'm not sure whether the recent reduction in finger size is weight loss or inflammation reduction to be honest. I've been on bios for probably 7 years or so, but have only recently needed to get my ring made smaller, and I have lost 3 stone on my 'normal' weight (which was a normal BMI anyway). Who knows?

[sylvi]

I have put mine on a chain.xxx

[marie66]

Mine have been on a chain since October last with no sign of returning any time soon to my finger. I now use it as a gauge of how swollen my fingers are! M x

[MrsBones123]

I was wondering the same thing a few weeks ago when I had to take my wedding ring off when that finger started puffing up. There are no jewellers for miles around where I live 'in the wilds' and had visions of OH trying to get it off with a hacksaw, lol.

Will get a chain for it I think.

xxxx

[Bailybiscuit in reply to MrsBones123]

As mine was lost whilst supposed to be being made bigger I don't have one, so was looking for another one that could possibly adjust. Someone could make a fortune making those.

[Matalow]

When I carnt wear mine I tie it in my tennis shoe, only joking, I don't think you will be able to get a gold ring that springs due to the nature of gold .

Hope you find a suitable alternative.

Regards Mike

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Matalow]

Maybe that's why I haven't seen any as you can get copper but that would turn fingers green.

[Someonesmother]

I just put all my rings away, it was easier than looking at them and wishing I could still wear them

[DC56]

I had mine on a chain around my neck felt lost without them near but I did end up having them stretched but it is one of the things you don't usually think about X X

[Bailybiscuit in reply to DC56]

If I had a ring stretched to go over my knuckle it would be much too big for the top part of my finger.

[DC56 in reply to Bailybiscuit]

The only way to find out is to ask your jewller to measure both sides of your knuckle for you or try and measure it yourself , your ring might not stretch that much ,I know it feels terrible not being able to ware your ring but it doesn't change how you feel about your other half , X X Dawn

[Bailybiscuit in reply to DC56]

It would be a new ring or one of the other wedding rings i have, my Mums or Aunts. I have no feeling for any particular ring since mine was lost by the jeweller. I didn't know it was being sent away to be enlarged. It was traced as a lump of gold but he couldn't even get that back. I just felt unmarried and have been using other rings as I grew out of each one. Now I would like a new one but one that I wouldn't grow out of if possible.

[DC56 in reply to Bailybiscuit]

Just reading some of the replies I think I'd go with the tattoo i know thay use colour good luck xxDawn

[Bailybiscuit in reply to DC56]

It would be the easiest option.

[Whiskers64]

Hi BailyBiscuit,

I now can no longer wear my wedding ring of 45 years due to knuckles enlarged due to RA so now I have a quite a chunky Silver chain round my neck & have put the wedding ring on that which means that I'm still wearing it, Hope this helps.

[Ellioteva]

Hi

I had to have mine cut off also

so I had a tattoo put where my ring was our initials and a heart in the middle

xxxx

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Ellioteva]

That is a good idea.

[Scorer]

Haven't worn my wedding ring for 34 years. Have been married now 43 years. Hurt at first that I could no longer wear it but now never think about it. Wouldn't want to decorate my hands now as they are very deformed.

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Scorer]

I must admit my hands don't look attractive now either.

[Gillian1163]

I keep mine in a safe place as it's too uncomfortable to wear it

[oldtimer]

When I first started with RD, I had to have my wedding ring removed. My then husband said he couldn't see why we should pay to have it enlarged, what was the point of wearing rings... I think that was the beginning of the end of that relationship! (But I do have a very happy third one!)

[Matilda_1922]

Put on chain and wear as a necklace

[Calph]

Hi

I had the same problem when I was first diagnosed with Ra I thought my wedding ring would have to be cut off. I went to a jeweller and asked about making my ring bigger but as you have said once it went over the knuckle it would be too big. He said he could make the ring open and then close with a fold over part to make the ring fit. I cannot remember the price but it was quite expensive and depends on the size of the band. I did not go ahead and told him I would think about it and fortunately after my medication started to work my knuckle went back to normal and ring didn't need to be cut off. Hope you can get it sorted.

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Calph]

Maybe my fingers might improve once I start Etanercept

[Calph in reply to Bailybiscuit]

I hope so I was on methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine and that worked for awhile and then went onto Cimzia and in my 4th month and much improvement with that. Hope all goes well for you.

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Calph]

I have been on hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate and they didn't work for me, so I hope Etanercept does.

[CloudTreeDrive13]

I have had R A for 30 years now. I stopped wearing my wedding and engagement ring as they became too tight. I asked the jeweller to enlarge it only to find i had gone up 5 sizes !!! I wear both rings on special occasions but have to take them off straight away afterwards. It made me realise just how bad i had got. My fingers are at such a bad angle now they're uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

[linda-5502]

Yes I cannot wear my wedding ring which is so sentimental to me it is made from my mothers, my mother-in-laws and my husbands great grandma's and means so much to me but now it is in my drawer with my lovely engagement ring. I do find that quite upsetting but this awful disease takes no prisioners !!

I really don't know of an expandable gold ring but there may be, thinking of you xxxx

[Bailybiscuit in reply to linda-5502]

I think I should invent one ! As someone said though it may be that the nature of gold means it can't be done,

[Karen77]

They LOST your wedding ring! I would be so upset! OMG.

Okay, I saw a really cool modified ring on another women with RA. She had her rings fused together (I think there were three gold rings - engagement, wedding & anniversary maybe?) and then a hinge and a clasp put on them. So they're not enlarged, they fit her finger perfect, but they don't need to go over the knuckle.

I haven't been able to wear my wedding or engagement rings since November 2013 and I am tempted to get my rings modified like that as I miss them.

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Karen77]

That sounds interesting, something to look into.