Progressive pain

[Micktheclicky]

Hi, this is my first post relating to my condition.

I have suffered with many illnesses in my life, including throat cancer, pneumonia, mastocytosis, mastoiditis and anaphylactic shock through over production of mast cells. However I am writing to ask advice concerning my hand joints. I am in considerable pain, cannot make a fist with either hand both of which are continuously swollen. I have a couple of classic cars and cannot now work on them and this is hugely frustrating, but nothing compared to what others on here suffer!

My GP has given me paracetamol and an anti inflammatory which are useless, what steps do I take to get him to take my condition seriously and if I don’t get more medical help will the pain spread to other parts of my body or will the condition become increasingly worse until I can’t hold anything. ?

Any advice would be really appreciated please!

[sylvi]

Ask for a refferal to a rheumetologist.xxx

[Hidden]

How long have you been taking the anti inflammatories Mickytheclicky, and what have you been diagnosed with? Either way I would go back to your GP and tell them they are not working if you’ve been on them for a while.

[Micktheclicky in reply to Hidden]

Thanks ,2 months now, they are Naproxen 250mg twice daily . I’ll go and get the bloods done 👀

[oldtimer]

It sounds as if you should have some blood tests to establish if there is any inflammation going on at the very least. It is all too easy to dismiss hand pain as over-use arthritis, especially if you have been doing a lot of manual work.

[Hidden]

Yes I agree with the others, you need to find out whether you have some type of inflammatory arthritis such as RA, or if it is OA. Ask no PLEAD for a referral to a heumatologist.

[Gnarli]

I reckon it's possibly time to get quietly but firmly insistent that you need blood tests for inflammatory arthritis and a referral to rheumatology. Politely point out that the painkillers you have are not cutting it and are in great need of something more effective. Nobody should have to suffer like this with no treatment

[Loura]

Don't be robbed off. You've been through enough already so clearly you are not making appointments for the sake of it. Tell the GP that you are not happy about the way that your hand health has deteriorated and you would like to be referred either to a hand specialist or a rheumatologist, or even both. Your bloods may determine which way it goes. However, bloods don't always reflect how much pain and swelling you are experiencing. Physio may help, e.g. wax hand baths. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Micktheclicky in reply to Loura]

Thanks Loura 🙏🏽

[bpeal1]

Thought you might find reading this useful before going back to your GP. nras.org.uk/getting-the-mos...

[Micktheclicky in reply to bpeal1]

Thanks so much I will certainly have a good read of this 😊

[philvaughan]

blood test for ra it sounds like carpal tunnel I see you have trigger finger I have both I also have ra/ild I put my hands in as hot water as I can bare and smoke a joint its been the best and ive had so many meds go wrong good luck

[Micktheclicky in reply to philvaughan]

Thanks for the reply Phil, I had the right hand carpel tunnel done a year ago and it certainly got rid of the numbness in my fingers but since then the knuckle joints have become inflamed and crack when I try to bend them into a fist particularly painful in a morning 😐

[Micktheclicky in reply to philvaughan]

And a joint sounds very tempting!