Trip to Doctors Re Increased Hand Pain

[Bcol]

I posted this earlier as a part of a reply to another post

I saw the doc today as I have been getting extra pain across my right hand, palm and fingers which doesn't respond to pain killers, which really knocks out it being my OA, but may be a sign that it's PMR starting to reappear or even RA or one of the other arthritis's. I'm having full bloods done tomorrow to see if anything "interesting" shows up and then we will decide where to go from there.

This will be my first bloods for over four years without any Pred input. Four and bit weeks off it, which as the doc remarked this morning would possibly fit in very well with when the extra problems on my hand started

Anyway, blood tests back this morning - pretty impressive within 24 hours of tests!!

Generally good but:

Red blood cell count marginally down. 4.47 normal range 4.5_5.5

Haematocrit slightly down. 0.399. Normal range 0.4 - 0.5

Percentage Monocytes up. 13 range. 0-10

Eosinophil count slightly up. 0.5. Normal range 0.0 - 0.4

Percenrtage Eosinophil slightly up 8. Normal range 0-7

ESR fine at 5

CRP fine at 4

Rheumatoid Factor fine at 4. Normal range 0-13

Generally good but the suspicious part of me wonders/thinks that the readings that are up are/possibly indicitive that I'm still fighting some inflammation, particularly with the increased hand pain, and that a return to a low dose of Pred may stop it going higher.

Of course the inflammation could be caused by something totally different!!

So, waiting to hear from the doc to hear what she thinks.

[piglette]

Could the hand pain be carpal tunnel problems do you think?

[Bcol in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette, it could indeed and I'm awaiting surgery for both hands/wrists but this has been a different and very increased pain across the palm and base of the fingers. Discussion with doc was if it was something else like RA. She also pointed out it had started/worsened since I stopped the Pred.

[piglette in reply to Bcol]

Next step, try the pred!!

[Bcol in reply to piglette]

I agree, but see reply to DL.

[piglette in reply to Bcol]

Good luck anyway

[AgedCrone in reply to Bcol]

I have RA….not PMRA….I had a CT Decomoression last year..it seemed successful…but about 6 months post surgery,I got that burning feeling in my palm & recently my median nerve in that wrist has kind of ‘popped’ & now stands away from my wrist. As it doesn’t hurt and I have other more pressing things to deal with, I haven’t yet seen the wrist surgeon to discuss it.

But it does seem there many reasons for a burning palm.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You have band instead of hand in the title - just saying!

Maybe - but none of those is clinically significant - just the computer can't use its gumption to see that! So it tells you it is outside the set parameters, even if it is 0.01 outside ...

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

Ta, have changed it. Yes, I agree and probably clutching at straws, but something is definitely causing this considerable change to my right hand.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

I would want to try a couple of weeks of pred ... Just to see.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Bcol]

Think you know I’m going to echo PMRpro’ s advice 😊

[Bcol in reply to DorsetLady]

That is exactly what I would/want to do and would have already done if we hadn't moved and changed doctors, but this is my first real visit to our new doctors so I feel I need to let them have their twopenny worth before I do anything. I'll ring them on Monday if I've not heard anything. If things get worse before then I'll take the Pred anyway!!

[Bcol in reply to Bcol]

Appointment at Docs first thing Tuesday morning.

[Bcol in reply to Bcol]

Excellent visit to docs this morning. Extra pain on hand had already diminished over the last few days so I had already decided I didn't want to start the Pred again. She went through all the blood test results and, in real terms, how good they were. She also went through my whole PMR history which was good. She seems to fully understand PMR and its vagueries/individualities and happily accepts it could easily return. She's happy for me to take Pred if I feel it's neccessary, just asks that I keep her informed which I'm more than happy to do. She is going to see if there is any way to expedite my CTS surgery and if she can work that miracle I'll be more than impressed. However, I suspect that's probably wishful thinking.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Bcol]

Good to hear - snd let’s hope she can help on the CTS surgery..

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

She sounds a good find - fallen on your feet there!

[Charlie1boy]

Pain in wrist and hands happened to me some two years into pmr. I upped my pred by about three mg per day, and the pain cleared up completely in twenty four hours. Hopefully, you might be just as fortunate.

Good luck.