Finger & Toe pain

[Whiskers64]

Hi fellow RA sufferers after having RA now 4 years (I'm 67) & had been on mtx plus Sulfasalazine but now this past 6 months been on Hydroxychloroquine but have always had stabbing pains to fingers & toes. Saw my Rheumy Doc yesterday he has now prescribed Neurontin as well as Hydroxychloroquine as he said that the RA causes the nerves to to become sensitive & the Neurontin makes the nerve ends less sensitive so hopefully reducing the pains they take 3 weeks to take effect but Rheumy tells me I will become more comfortable with my condition. Just wondered if anybody other sufferers out there had these. Stay painless out there.

[scotslass333]

Hi - I've certainly got a lot of foot pain/damage, and sometimes get weird additional 'stabs', almost like little electric shocks -is that what yours feels like? I do know the circulation to my feet is pretty bad. (Oh good, something else to worry about!) Hope some other folk can be more help than me re nerve damage, take care.

[Whiskers64 in reply to scotslass333]

Hi yes the pain is like a sharp stab/electric shock which makes you jump the first time but it continues for a while before subsiding I'm hoping these tablets do their job. Thanks for your reply.

[DelicateInput in reply to Whiskers64]

Yes, this is the sort of pain I get in my hands. I also got it in the toes when the RA first started but it has cleared up in the toes.

However, I had a bunion operation two weeks ago on my big toe and the other toes started tingling. I was told the nerves were irritated or inflamed. This was only for a day or two and has cleared up.

The hand (finger joints, knuckles, thumb base and wrists) continue to suffer this intensely piercing and stabbing pain. The good part though is that it does not last - usually a matter of seconds or on/off for a few minutes. It has made me scream on occasions though. It is made worse by alcohol (well, I am quite a heavy drinker).

[driffield56 in reply to DelicateInput]

How did your bunion op go? I am thinking of having mine done.

[DelicateInput in reply to driffield56]

The op itself was nothing. It only took 30 minutes and was with a local anaesthetic as day surgery. I had minimally invasive surgery. My foot was frozen for 24 hours so I felt nothing, then I had moderate pain for about two days which was a lot less than the pain I got from the bunions. I did not even need the painkillers that the hospital gave me. I had a cheilectomy at the same time (where the big bony bump is shaved off). I had to rest with my foot raised for substantial periods every day for two weeks and hardly left the house unless I was given a lift. I still have to wear a surgical shoe for another three weeks, which is no hardship but it rubs a bit. I went to work after two weeks.

I have to get the other one done now but I think I have to wait a few months. Don't have the two done at the same time as you would need to be in a nursing home. You have to walk on the outside and heel of your foot and you could not possibly do that if you had the two feet done together.

I had my bunions for over 40 years, since I was 25. I tried several times to get them done, mainly privately, but nobody could either do them or wanted to do them.

[driffield56 in reply to DelicateInput]

Thanks for replying. I will have to get mine done. My other toes have to be pinned & wired. They are getting worse.

[Hidden]

I used to find myself staring at the back of my hands. I expected to see "little elves" hitting me with a pickaxe. I couldn't understand how my hands looked so normal with all this stabbing pain. I am greatful the pain went away on it's own.

I hope the new med helps make your "pickaxe welding elves" behave.

[Bon1]

That's interesting - I was just about to post a nerve question! I seem to be having really annoying neurological issues in one foot in particular but that can spread up the whole leg. Tingling and fizzing constantly. My neurologist seems to think nerve issues are not unusual with things like RA. Truly the gift that keeps on giving!

[Whiskers64 in reply to Bon1]

So pleased that your reply backs up to what I was told by my Rheumy hopefully that we don't find/get any other hidden problems associated with RA.