RA breaking thru'?? | Arthritis Information

I have been painfree since my diagnosis around 3 months ago ( after a period of not being able to walk/drive etc) thanks to Pred.

Today, I woke with numb tingly hands and all day they have felt very odd.

There is no pain, just kinda numb at the fingertips and a weird feeling in them.....lol, hard to describe. Also my ankles and knees have shared some odd feelings. Anyone else had this happen to their fingers?? I am definitely becoming neurotic!! I get scared sometimes reading some of the posts/info here, even tho' I need to know all about this blardy disease, part of me sure wants to poke my head waaaaaaay down there in the sand.

I am due to go back and see my Rheumy in 6 weeks time to see how the other meds have helped. I have had a very good run so far and pray it continues. BTW, there is no way I will ever increase the Pred dose, I look forward to tapering soon. I still love the stuff but I hate it too. I read today someone has been on 100mgs daily?????

These fingers are acting very weird tho.....

Cheers....Lyn

I wake up with my hands like that at times.Hi Lyndee,

I am experienceing that at the moment too. I have just started 20mg/day of prednisone and my fingers are tingling. I used to get that in my feet when I took pred before. They tested for nerve neuropathy, but no damage just one of those things. I also used to sleep with my hands up on my rib cage (coffin like, lol) not too good for the circulation. and sometimes with my hands above my head on the pillow. Hopefully it is just a temp. circulatory problem.

Take Care, Feel Better

Jenny

Jen2008-07-21 06:39:57Hi Lyndee,

Prednisone seems to effect people in lots of different ways. My daughter and I get emotionally fragile; my father thinks he's mightyman. I blow up like a puffer fish around the face and my hair grows into corkscrew curls. Weird. But it's a great interim treatment until other drugs kick in.
Lynn, I get this too, and I am not on Predisone. I just had hand and wrist MRIs which showed synovitis and confirmed the severe to moderate damage I could see happening years ago, but finally gave me a starting point. I saw an hand OT for exercise, I use splints, and my inflammation is way down due to a change in my DMARDS. You can start with an ultrasound of your wrists, this can diagnose synovitis. And if I am correct, when synovitis is present, that's where damage happens. Good luck CathyHi Lyndee,

My fingers would start feeling odd right before a flare - could almost feel it coming on over a course of three days. Thankfully, I don't have those any longer (knock on wood) If your's are only tingly in the morning, maybe you just slept funny? If it continues or if your ankles/knees start in worse, you may want to give your RD a call?

Sorry I'm not more help - someone more experienced may be able to advise.

yeah I get that hand thing- not the tingling but the numbness- the only way I can describe it is it feels like my hands don't belong to me....I have the numbness too. And yes, OMG 100 mg. prednisone is awful!

I have never felt so bad in my life.

I was a mess.

Judy

my experiences are similar to wanttobe's and justsaynomore's... I still have it.. and had the carpel tunnel testing to be told itwas RA causing it..

I too sleep w/ splints alot of the time.. (sometimes I forget and I am sorry the next day)

ETA: I've never taken prednisone

babs102008-07-21 15:54:34Well JSNM...I think you are right on the button!! Just had another look at the Rheumy's report from a few months ago to my GP ( and copy to me) and this is what part of it states..

She seems to have developed a synovitis and tenosynovitis mainly affecting the flexors in her hands, left shoulder and left knee. The severe pain in both hands and wrists is almost certainly due to carpal tunnel syndrome rather than inflammation of the tendon sheaths. I injected each carpal tunnel with 40 mgs of Triamcinolone and am hoping that this will settle down her symptoms.

The cause of the underlying synovitis is unclear but it has only been going on for 1 week so one needs to be cautious before labelling her as having a chronic synovitis.

I note the midly raised C-reactive protein of 15.6 and a rheumatoid factor of 24.8 which is just above their normal range, but is still a very low level.

I have arranged to see her again in 6 weeks and I am hoping, but am not confident, that everything will settle down in that time.

Well everything turned to custard after that visit as 4 days later I couldnt walk! My wrists and hands did not improve until I started the Pred. So this synovitus is most likely to be the culprit indeed and my hands are the same this morning.

Oh well....I am grateful there is no pain.