I've
been lurking for a bit, now, and I've decided that you are a friendly
enough bunch that I can come out of the closet. (Some of these
boards can seem rather closed to newcomers, if you know what I mean.)
In all of the posts that I've read, I have yet to come across one of my
most annoying symptoms of RA---ruptured flexor tendons.
Almost all of my fingers have ruptured tendons and so they do not bend
at the last joint, meaning I have precious little in the way of fine
motor control. Thank God for spell check, as I have a tendency to
hit lots of extraneous keys when I type!
From my research on the 'Net, it seems to be a fairly common problem
among those with RA and yet I have never seen it spoken of here.
Does anyone else have the condition? Supposedly, it is almost
inevitable that my thumb tendons will also rupture at some point and
frankly, I don't know how I will manage if that happens. Thumbs,
after all, are the only thing that separates us from the apes.
(I'm not counting intellect of course, just physiology.) I have a
bloody hard time grasping things now---I don't think I could hang on to
anything at all without the use of my thumbs.
Let me end by saying that it is a pleasure to become a member. I
almost feel as though I know you all and certainly I can emphasize with
the various stages of arthritis that you are experiencing--Lord knows,
I've been there and done that. It is nice to have a place to go
where you can rail against fate and everyone understands.
Wishing you all the best.
First off, I would like to give you a big welcome!
Welcome!!
What exactly is ruptured flexor tendons?
I have on my right hand the ring finger it does not bend by its self in the joint where the tip of my finger is.
Then on my left hand my middle finger is always swelled looking and the knuckle joint and the joint before that are swelled. BUT the finger bends better than any of my other fingers. My knuckle looks pushed back further into the carpals than the rest of my knuckles.
Any of those I described sound like what you have?
I never mentioned them because they do not hurt or have pain. Just annoying sometimes when I try to write or type.
Hi Kidlet.
I did not know there was a name for it, but those end joints on my fingers don't bend either. Thumbs ok thus far. I learned to type with stiff straight fingers and yes, make plenty backspaces to correct. Frustrating to try and pick up small items. Like meds. Have to dump on table and then scoot it in palm of hand.
Fun, fun, fun. :-)
KIDLET...FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME! WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND YOU CAN ADD SO MUCH TO OUR GROUP. WHEN WERE YOU DIAGNOSED AND WHAT MEDS ARE YOU ON? I HAVEN'T HAD YOUR PROBLEM YET AND HOPE MY MEDS KEEP THE DESTRUCTION FROM HAPPENING. PLEASE POST OFTEN AND FEEL FREE TO JOIN IN ON DISCUSSIONS. WE ARE ALL HERE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER. GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND HOPE TO HERE BACK FROM YOU SOON!
Visit often
Hi Kidlet. Welcome. I have not heard of that condition and I hope I never have first hand knowledge
A great place to learn ALOT!....and of course to make new friends ! Lulu WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO Another prednisone hater. I feel like we are friends already Kidlet Welcome to the group Kidlet. We're glad you're here.Welcome, I'm kinda new too!
Welcome to our group, You've already proven your self more knowledgeable than me since Im new to RA and didnt know the tendons in your fingers could rupture. Maybe that's why my fingers looks so crooked and bent as they drift to one side. One of my fingers on my right hand is almost completely turned at the middle joint. I dont know if that is part of the condition that you described but youve defintely come to the right place for help w/ all your RA questions. Come back and see us often. Shawnie
Jooniper and Hulagirl, it sounds as though you also have ruptured
flexor tendons. The first one that went on me didn't hurt a bit,
either. With some of them, however, the finger would be swollen
and painful for weeks before it went, then when I exerted the slightest
pressure, it would let go. The last was was competely
different. On that one, the entire forearm was red and
swollen for over a week and when the tendon ruptured it
hurt like the devil, at the time and for days afterwards. At this
point, my only fully functioning fingers are the two little ones and
the thumbs.
The actual damage takes place in the wrist. From what I have
read, the tunnels that the tendons run through become sharp and jagged
in RA victims and the tendons basically get sawed in two over
time. Gee, ain't this a fun disease! I will find a good
website that describes it and I will add a link the next time I log on.
I was diagnosed in the early 90's and have been on all of the usual
NSAIDS (I have the stomach and duodenal ulcers to prove it!) and in the
early days, Plaquenil and Asulfidine were the DEMARDS. They
weren't aggressive about treatment back then---it was more a wait and
see proposition. Now I am on MTX and low dose prednisone.
Unfortunately, I cannot get an appointment with a rheumatologist
as the two in the nearest city, 120 miles away, are so booked up that
they aren't taking any new patients. Ergo, I am leading my GP by
the hand and gently suggesting the course of meds for him to subscribe.
I sure don't miss the metropolitan area I moved from but I mourn
the loss of my excellent rheumy---things are a lot different here in
rural America. That being said, I love it here and would never go
back.
I have been on disability for the past two years and just recently
qualified for Medicare, so if necessary, I will be able to try Remicade
should the MTX not cut it. I have only been on that for 6
weeks so it's efficacy is still unknown. The prenisone is definitely
helping but I am mortally afraid of the stuff and would rather suffer
the pain than the side effects of steroids. (The newest research
does, however, indicate that prednisone may actually serve as a
DEMARD, not simply an anti inflammatory. The jury is still out on
that.)
Well, this turned out to be a rather long winded post----sorry!
Again, I thank you for your warm welcome and I am very glad to have
found this board. I hope you all have the best day possible.
Kidlet
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