Ouch!!!!!

[Nsmith13]

Every time I try and do a small task involving my hands and wrist I always end up in agony after an hour or so does this mean I've just got to not do anything or suffer same thing with my back and no amount of painkillers help for very long even the break through pain one so frustrating 💇

[charisma]

Been the same for me since RA started, but with some periods of ability to cope with lighter tasks.

It worsened with tenosynovitis after going on leflunomide though. I find if I do something simple that was no problem prior to that DMARD, I get muscle and other soft tissue pain that is not relieved for days even though it did not hurt at the time of using the hands.

Review yesterday showed the fattest tendon had gone down a lot but I’d had no leflunomide for a few weeks while fighting an infection.

Hope you or GP can find the cause if it’s not just weakness caused by past/present active RD.

[Hidden]

Has your hospital given you wrist splints. I find these help a lot when ‘working ‘ doesn’t help with the fingers though. Maybe an hour is too long to do something repetitive? Try shorter lengths of time and stop before you feel any discomfort. Easy to say I know, I do overdo it too and suffer afterwards, it’s so frustrating.

[Nsmith13 in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes it's not an hour repetitive I just find I suffer after trying to do a task pain and hot discomfort it's horrible I've got some wrist protectors but they get in the way

[AgedCrone]

Have seen a physio or occupational therapist?

They have ideas we wouldn't have thought of to take the strain off our hands,arms & shoulders.

[Nsmith13 in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes I got some fancy gloves ages ago and supports but it's that deep burning pain like your bones are trying to start a fire nasty

[AgedCrone in reply to Nsmith13]

Good therapists have ways of showing you how to perform tasks that appear cack handed at first but take the strain off the tendons that are causing the discomfort.

[Mmrr]

I have the same problem, my hands heat up and ache even after minimal tasks taking a few minutes. I had a few sessions with a specialist hand physio, which I feel helped strengthen the muscles/tendons, but my hands still ache and heat up doing very small tasks.

[Nsmith13]

It's so disabling I'm getting so fed up everything takes so long

[AgedCrone]

I know I sound like PollyAnna...but to keep persevering with something you feel you have just GOT to do right now only leads to stress & pain

99% of tasks can wait ( I know not 2 year jumping off roof, but within reason)

Go and do something else....in a while your hands might have calmed down, I used to have mega problems turning a fiddly front door key...so I used the back door with it's big clunky key.

A nuisance, .....Yes......but better than burning wrists!

[Nsmith13 in reply to AgedCrone]

It's the whole hand that's so tender as well it's thin skin and slightest knock sets it off and rips skin like tissue paper

[AgedCrone]

As I said try to get an OT appointment.....they really do have remedies that can help.

Using a moisturiser under Neoprene wrist warmers to keep the hand/ wrist warm & moisturised to stop the skin breaking down is something you can do in the interim period.

[Nsmith13]

Thankyou for tips and I waited ages for physio app last time and she kept me there hours think she'd just come out of training and used me for practice been before after hip and knee op

[AgedCrone in reply to Nsmith13]

I know what you mean...I just had a nurse administering my infusions as her first attempt.... ...I was itching itching to say "Not like that- like this", but I kept quiet & ended up with a 4" bruise that lasted weeks.Thankfully I don't think she made the grade & was not there for my next visit!

Try for an Occupational Therapy appointment...that might have a shorter waiting list?

[Hidden]

I know just what you mean as I am the same myself. My hands, arms, shoulders, knees and back are nothing short of agony and I can hardly do anything. My husband has to help me to dress and undress and do everything in the house. I try to do a little bit and I could just cry with the pain. I feel that no one really understands it. I had so many lovely hobbies that I can't do now. One of them was making cards which I sold for charity and I sit down to do them but my arms won't allow me to lift anything up. I used to play the piano and guitar and now I can't do that. I even find it hard to write anything, draw the curtains, turn on a light etc. When I read about people going out for a walk I think how lucky they are as I can't walk as far as up the top of the garden on most days.

I am sorry this is all about me when it should be about you. I have had physio and find it hard to know what to say about it. With one arm, it has helped, with the other, it seems to have made it worse. With my back and knees, I was doing quite well, but now I seem to be back to square one with it and yet I have been discharged from it as she said that they had lots of people on the waiting list and I had been going there for a long time.

I had an OT person come round but all she could offer was a stall to put in the bath for me to sit on, but I can't get into the bath in the first place. She said they had no more funds for anything else. Sorry for the long email and I hope you get some relief from your pain soon. xx

[AgedCrone]

Have you had a diagnosis of RA .......you sound as if you aren't taking any meds to help you. Is that right?

If it is why don't you ask your GP to refer you to either a Rheumatologist, or a Pain Management Specialist?

The longer you remain in such pain wighout analgesics, the longer it will take you to get back to at least some of your hobbies.

If you can afford it,maybe a Private Consultation would be faster & get things moving,

[Nsmith13 in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes abt 3 yrs ago had a few ra drugs didn't work

[Nsmith13 in reply to AgedCrone]

Still on hydx and opiate pain killers got ostreo and fibro had hip replacements and knee surgery so I'm 70 now just want to be able to enjoy my life with to many ra drugs steroids bad enough at moment up and down

[AgedCrone in reply to Nsmith13]

Well I'm probably older than you & I persevered through all sorts of drugs & now I can enjoy my life.

If one drug doesn't' work try the next.,,,,I refused to believe I wouldn't get back a decent quality of life.

OK maybe you can wait a while in your 30's, but at 70+ we need to get on with things!

[Nsmith13 in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes I agree it's so time consuming waiting for app and then all the blood tests etc I think I'll just manage and make the most of days when I do feel ok and at least I can still drive think it's that time of year anyway you take care and I'm glad your coping it's nice when you see posts on forum that it's possible to have some quality of a decent life

[AgedCrone in reply to Nsmith13]

Of course it is if you are determined.

i hope you have an automatic transmission car..no way could I sit there pressing a clutch & fighting with a gear-lever.

Just get in....engage the gear ..foot on accelerator & off you go.

Happy driving.....look at Prince Phillip...walked away from rolling a Range Rover at 97...,...I bet HM gave him hell when he staggered home!

[Nsmith13]

Yes auto on. Mobility no worries