My Ugly Hands | Arthritis Information

I am a 34 Female, who 2 1/2 years ago had beautiful hands. I've even had people suggest I be a hand model.

Now my hands are disfigured. The X-rays aren't showing joint damage, but 4 of my joints (2 on each hand) appear to be permananently swollen. I don't know the names of those joints, but their the ones at the base of my pointer and middle fingers.

In addition, the top of my hands have that 'wasting' look that you see on senior citizens. My veins are very obvious and there is not much fat on my hands.

I am very self-conscious of my hands and wonder if there is any suggesting either medically or cosmetically anyone has for these problems.

Also, it took over 1 1/2 years for the doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. But I have been on plaquenil, MTX (for over a year), and enbrel for almost 8 months.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Nori

I'm so sorry! I don't have suggestions. But I always wear rings to make my hand feel prettier! I have hands that looked old since I was 12. Something about them. Very veiny, lots of extra skin on my knuckles. They are not my favorite. I sympathize!!!Do you take vitamin c? It seems to help my hands a lot. My legs sometimes waste away when i am having a bad attack. Like the muscles and everything just dissappear. But i am usually able to regain the wieght and muscle tone after the flare with hard work. I hate the fact that this disease attacks our vanity. My doctor freaks on my hands but i have to note that they are not my worse problem. He said they look great now. My noduals have left my hands. I get a bit of swelling in them. My middle finger is bigger than it should be. But for some reason 500mg of vitamin c a day religously has taken the redness out and i no longer get swollen finger tips or not as bad. They used to look infected they were just inflammed. Wish i could say my wrist are as happy as my hands. My knees and many other places are not so happy. But this might get better is all i am saying. Good luck and i am sorry i share your feellings. I want the old me back I liked her.I also sympathize, wait until they start turning outward, like you see on REALLY old people with RA, they had it when there wasn't meds to slow the progression of the disease, I have it because I went so long before diagnosis. Hopefully they'll stop now.

Aching Audrey, I'm already obviously distressed over the disfigurement I already have. Why would you say something like, "wait until they start turning outward"? I'm asking for advice to make things better, not for an opinion on what can happen in the future to make things worse. Despite my frustration at your post, I am sorry to hear that you have had such a bad time with RA. This is a horrible disease.

Milly, thank you for the vit C advice. I will try that.

KatieG, thank you for your post as well.

Nori

Nori, the only thing I can suggest is to turn a negative into a positive. Beautiful rings make your hands look and feel better. I also get manicures. I'm vain and I admit it. My hands have changed a lot, very veiny, nodules, mine sound much like yours except for the swelling. I'm in clinical remission and the swelling has just about disappeared. I have permanent damage to the joints and a couple of fingers but I tell you just making them look better helps an awful lot. Are you in remission? If not then you may need an adjustment to your meds. Once you reach remission then the swelling will be much less but the damage will remain. I'm 62 y.o. so I have the RA/PsA/OA stuff going on and the aging. I also moisturize several times a day. Like you I don't like the looks of my hands but I try and do the best with what I have. Lindy

Nori,

I hope the meds you are on will keep the RA in check and prevent further deterioriation or damage to your joints.

This is a tough disease for anyone to have, but perhaps more so for younger people, the physical changes or limitations RA can cause, are not what one expects in their youth.

I was in my 20s when I was diagnosed. So I can relate to what you are feeling. But after 31 years of adjusting to this disease, its gotten a little easier, especially with the RA meds, biologics, that became available around 2000 and have helped slow down the progression of this disease.

I'm not personally aware of any corrective surgeries, but there are hand procedures that are done. At my stage in the game, I am just thankful my hands still function (I can still type

To make yourself feel better, maybe focus on another part of yourself, indulge yourself with a good hair style, nice earrings or necklace, clothes -- it would draw folks attention away from your hands if thats what you would want.

And remember, you are not your hands, you are much more.

Good luck, take care, be well.

Hugs, Joy

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I really appreciate the feedback.

Nori

have you ever been to hand therapy? do you have any splints to help your hands? what shape are your wrists in? The textbook ulner drift of RA actually begins with instability in the wrists

Hi Buckeye,

I have completed 3 months of OT for my hands. I have silver ring splints for 3 fingers due to hyperextension.

What bothers me is my very larger joints at the base of 2 fingers on each hand and that wasting away look. I am not having a current problem with the drift you mentioned. My hands have aged 15-20 years in the past 3 years since the onset of symptoms and I was looking for advice to help them look less like senior citizen hands in my 30's. My wrists are currently ok.

Thank you for your help.

Nori

Hi Nori

I do so sympathize about your hands. Mine are the same. They're are dry, wrinkly, vieny and bumpy. I look down at them while Im working and just get sad.

I am going to try the vitamin c too.

Take care