When I shut my hand, it kinda shuts funny now, like I can't shut it smoothly, its like i shut it half way then it goes the rest of the way itself - anyone know what I mean - is this normal? Hey Julie. I think there is not anything "normal" with ra. Your joints effect tendons, muscles and inflammation can effect everything else in your body. It all comes and goes. That is the good news. do you think if If had this for 3 months without meds that I'll have severe damage already. I can kinda feel the bones in my feet grinding. Does it get stuck and kinda pop? Mine did that with CT. no its like i shut it half way then instead of shutting smoothly it kind of swings shut the rest of the way itself.
Before I was diagnosised I use to be awakened in the middle of the night with the slightest movement of my hand and it would feel like every bone would break. My hands were almost un-useable for the first few hours after I woke up.
12 years later I rarely have much trouble with my hands at all. The medications works wonders. I'm not saying I have model hands...they do look old and a little weird; especially in my knockles and a couple curve a little oddly; but as far as damage goes....I wouldn't call it severe.
You're going to the clinic next week. Julie I honestly would not be overly concerned about damage to your joints at this point. Some people go years with out treatment at all. I think you've caught this fairly early. You're unlikely to have much of that.
Stop worrying so much! You're going to cause so much stress that you'll be a worse wreck before your visit. Some people have hand issues, others don't. 3 months of not being treated is a short time. Damage isn't always relative to treatment either. Some people who have great treatment end up with damage anyway. Others who have virtually no treatment, have little damage. And it can go the other way too. Lovie, my hands were unusable 2 years ago and last summer . I had my last hand surgery almost a year ago in October. They started hurting a little 2 months ago and I had to start with some shots in them..but after starting the humira the pain went away. I felt so helpless if I had to do anything with my hands before. They have always been the worst RA part of me.What sort of surgery did they do?
It's hard to believe how bad mine were at first....and how good they are now. It's almost amazing the difference.
My hand surgeon went cut a zig zag cut about 2 1/2 inches on my palm and up to the wrist, he went in and stretched out the carpal tunnel (carpal tunnel release), the scarped the nerves that had synovial tissue, RA nodes, bone spurs...there was stuff on the tendons too. Recovery was about a month, then I could lift light stuff. I could type a few days after (like he was gonna stop me LOL). It barely left a scar.I've had RA for (I need a calculator...) 33 years and if every time I hurt my joints were eaten away I would be a pile of dust by now!
You're panicking and scared and rightfully so but you're being pro-active about getting care and that's the best thing you can do.
Ditto Julie,
My hands were my worst. I work in an office, I type all day, file, lift heavy binders with my little tiny finger joints...it's no wonder they hurt the worst and still hurt for about the first 20 minutes of each day. Somedays, I cannot make a quick fist, I have to work at it. Since taking treatment for RA, my hands are 80% better and my body feels so very different from about 6 months ago. I think I'll go for my bike ride shortly (6 months ago I could not even think of that) I take 20mg of MTX a week and I started that 6 weeks (approx) ago. So far that's all I take. I'm afraid to toot the glory horn right yet because this disease still has the capability to stun me but I'll tell ya....my hands are ready and just hovering over that horn! It does get better. You know, a couple months ago I would not even dream of snapping my fingers.. I surprised myself the other day and did it without thinking............ it does get better!! Jackie.