Anybody have sensitive fingertips?

[lovemydoggy]

This comes and goes with me. Quite a bit of anxiety I might be getting fibromyalgia. I've checked it out and my joint pain and swelling are not consistent with it. So, might it be something else happening along with arthritis? Thoughts and personal experiences?

[Shalf]

I don't have sensitive fingertips. RA doesn't typically affect the extremities of the fingers. I haven't heard of Fibromyalgia affecting tips of fingers but maybe. Hope someone else can perhaps help, if not, see gp. X

[helixhelix]

Is it related to when your hands are cold or hot? As quite a few people have minor Raynauds which can make you finger tips painful when temperature fluctuates. (Full on raynauds is luckily less common as its horrid!)

[lovemydoggy in reply to helixhelix]

They are sensitive to cold, and hot. They don't turn that light color of Raynaud's. My aunt has CREST syndrome, which started years ago with Raynaud's, but not full on. Poor thing now has RA with majorly deformed thumbs and Lupus. She's a stubborn one though. Has always refused any medication.

[helixhelix in reply to lovemydoggy]

Oh yuk to having CREST, horrible thing! Can't imagine beimg stubborn re drugs in the face of it, but I wish her well...

Mild Raynaud's wjich is often associated with RA doesn't have colour change, but if you have ridged nails too them soreknees may well be spot on. Raise your symptoms with your medical team.

[lovemydoggy in reply to helixhelix]

Oh, thanks for the info. Thought Raynaud's always had the clor change. Had no idea about the nail thing. I will make sure to bring g it up.

[Soreknees2016]

Hi - when you say sensitive fingertips, is this in relation to your skin feeling sore/fragile/uncomfortable? I have Psoriatic Arthritis as opposed to RA, with the psoriasis affecting my palms and fingertips, which can feel quite sore for a bit before the skin cracks. I also don’t suffer from much stiffness as mentioned in your other post, nor much swelling, just intense pain in any permutation of knees and ankles when I have a flare. Just a thought, but as others have said, RD seems to present differently in different people at various times.

[lovemydoggy in reply to Soreknees2016]

It's odd. Sometimes they hurt like a bruise sort of. Sometimes it's a sort burning pain. I cut myself a few years ago and have some nerve damage on part of my fingertip and it kind of feels like that. Sometimes they feel a bit dry. I'm really amazed at what I'm finding out about how differently RD presents in each person. Lots to learn.

[Soreknees2016 in reply to lovemydoggy]

Hmm - do you have any little ‘dents’ in your nails or any vertical ridges?

[lovemydoggy in reply to Soreknees2016]

Actually yeah I do.My nails have vertical ridges

[Soreknees2016 in reply to lovemydoggy]

That’s certainly something that is symptomatic of Psoriatic Arthritis, although I don’t know if it’s something that occurs in other forms of RD. Was having a look at your earlier posts and I also originally suspected Palindromic Rheumatism, which was suggested by a non rheumy doctor I was seeing about something unrelated during a time when I was having a bad flare. Like you, my pain would start on one side, and after a few days at least, would switch to the other side, so not as rapidly moving as yours. It took a few more years before I got a diagnosis of PsA, and that was only after I relocated and got a referral to a decent rheumy. Previously i kept being told to come back to the hospital when I had a flare, but then I could never get an appointment when it was happening!

Hope you get to the bottom of what’s going on and get the appropriate treatment, but PsA is maybe something to consider.

[lovemydoggy in reply to Soreknees2016]

Can you have PsA with joint pain coming before the psoriasis? Also does PsA ever present with itching, generalized or little red itchy bumps?

[Soreknees2016 in reply to lovemydoggy]

I can only really speak from my own experience in that the psoriasis preceded the joint pain by several years, but was not actually identified as psoriasis until I changed location and GP, and saw a dermatologist. But even then, the connection to the joint pain wasn’t made until some time later when I finally got referred to a rheumy, and the dots were joined up. As with all aspects of RD though, I expect others will have a different story to tell, and it seems that one size does not fit all in this case! 🤔

My psoriasis generally presents first with tiny red dots that quickly turn white and join up to form a raised white scaly patch, which then breaks and peels. I don’t get any itching unless my skin is exceptionally dry generally, and then it’s the dryness rather than the psoriasis that is the cause.

Not sure if you’ve said whether you’re on Methotrexate, but just skimming through the side effects listed for that today while looking for info about UTIs, I’m sure I spotted something about tiny red spots - might be worth checking that out if you are on mtx.

[lovemydoggy in reply to Soreknees2016]

Hmmm....I'm curious as to whether I have it. I suspected that at first as I had a patch of skin that looked like it. Dermatologist said nope, referred me to Rheumatology. She said possible Palindromic, but might be early RA. Psoriatic was never brought up except by me. Waiting for a referral to another dermatologist. Labs all normal so far. No meds yet.

[Soreknees2016 in reply to lovemydoggy]

Fingers cossed that you get some answers and appropriate treatment soon - its so frustrating to have all these things going on but not being able to get to the bottom of it!

[lovemydoggy in reply to Soreknees2016]

That it is. I'm still waiting for an appointment and on my own searcimg for a diagnosis. Beyond inflammatory arthritis I don't know what it is. Sure seems like RA, but a few things don't fit. Of course, many things are unrelated sometimes. So, the search goes on. Hope you're feeling good.

[carmenp1]

I do get pain in my fingernails. Not all my fingers but a few and it comes and goes. I have chronic fatigue and fibro.

[lovemydoggy in reply to carmenp1]

I seem to have some fibro symptoms. It's so hard to figure out what goes with what.

[Shalf in reply to lovemydoggy]

Generally Fibro is more muscle pain which tends to affect back, hips and legs mostly. RA is joint pain. Gets a bit more deeper but predominantly affects the lining of joints.

[lovemydoggy in reply to Shalf]

Mine seems like RA. Maybe a sprinkle of fibro symptoms just to make it more confusing. Hands and feet joints mostly. Tiny bit of elbow and knees.

[lovemydoggy in reply to carmenp1]

Funny, just thought I'd follow up because now I get pain in my fingernails. Now I know what you mean. 😬