HAND DIFFICULTIES AGAIN....

Yesterday I went for my first OT and Physio appontment

I was given an object to squeeze to test my grip- it had a dial on it which gave out a measurement of grip????

My bad hand read-38-28-42

my better hand 62-62-48

Today my bad hand is really sore numb,painful,and strangely feels like nettle stings- my veins have come right up which has been like it all day. It woke me up in the night with pain- I put it under the pillow but still very sore.Crap night sleep-

OT reckoned that my hand grip was good, and she seen

folks with single number readings.

Its made me feel quite fraudulent, Im suffering for it now, I did not tell her all about the falls I have had either(only the one), cos you dont know if these guy think your faking it.

Should I ring her up?

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My OT is lovely but the hospital OT i was referred to see told me my hands looked really good to her. She made me a night resting splint which I put my hand in at night and it just holds it firm and can't move it - which is surprisingly restful and does seem to help it a lot.

I came away feeling fraudulent too because things were really good that day and she described RA hands that are quite extreme. The point, it seems to me, is that we are aiming to prevent our fingers drifting and our hands becoming claw-like while we can. She has obviously seen people with much worse RA hands and thinks it will help if she tells me that but I've only had RA for a year so I wouldn't expect to have extreme ulnar drift or swan neck deformities showing themselves yet?

Are you exercising your hands daily I wonder? I do this now and work them out and I've found my grip strength has doubled and I can get loads of stuff done now that I was unable to do last year and over Christmas. This might be partly due to the MTX though but I'm fairly sure it's the work outs I give them both. You need to see a physio for good exercises really although perhaps your OT doubles up as both?

Nettle sting sensation and raised veins are normal when you've over -worked your hands I think, I get them too - just rest them up a bit more today and start doing gentle exercises on them as soon as they are okay enough again I would advise.

Hope this helps. TTx

[helixhelix]

Just 'cos the physio has seen people with worse grips really doesn't make you fraudulent. It's your perception that's important and if it's bad for you then it's BAD - no matter what she/he says! Who knows, the worse grips could have all been in people who were 102, and who had had RA for 40 years.

Did she give you any suggestions about how to improve it, or what to do? If not then ring them up and ask.

Recently one of my hands has felt as if there's popping sherbet under the skin, it fizzes away for an hour or so after I wake up, and sometimes is so fizzy that it wakes me up. All very odd.

Keep pushing. Pollyx

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Mine fizz too all the time at the moment although they aren't that sore but I have had shooting pains again in the knuckle and palm area - I have wondered if this might be due to carpal tunnel - my wrists are sore on the underside just now which is different to before? I will try and remember to ask my GP when I see him next week and let you know if he has any ideas about fizzing hands. TTx

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Hi Guys

I called the OT today to discuss this, I had a bad night with the pain- also been bad today

She was not much use but called my RA nurse who told me to monitor it over weekend-if its still bad I have to go in to get it checked. She reckons it could have triggered some inflammation in my hand and wrist- but with me having another steroid shot on Tuesday I have to give this time to work.......then it may calm down- I hope.

[oldtimer]

I think that people like the OT, rheumy nurses and doctors often tell you (well, they do me!) that they have seen lots of worse cases. They are hoping to make you feel better about your condition - that is that it could be worse!

But,as you say, all it does is make me feel that I'm a fraud, shouldn't be there taking up their time when there are people much worse to see!

But remember YOU know how bad you are, how it affects your life. Tell them again how it affects what you can do and ask, again, what they can do to help you live your life more normally.

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Thanks for this-

I speak for all fellow sufferers that this illness is an inconvienience as well as a pain in the rear,hips-wrists,

Hand is feeling slightly better so hopefully wont be needing the hosptal.