sudden joint swelling, see doc? | Arthritis Information

 

My right hand has its problems with swollen joints.  They've come on slowly over the last year.  Now, I've gotten a swollen joint, the one closest to my palm on my right pinkie, that happened over the course of days.  I just assumed this is what happens with RA.  I am on an anti-inflammatory, methotrexate, and a pain relief.  My husband thought I should contact the doctor.  I figured I'd discuss it when I go for my next appointment early in July.  In your opinion, is there anything to be done about a swollen finger joint that justifies an extra trip to the doctor?personally. if it's  your RA flaring in that joint..

I would call too...

i'd probably just wait until my app't and mention it then...but that's just me.

Thanks.  Obviously I'm a "waiter" too as I hate to go to the doc unless I must.  At the least perhaps I should call and see what they think. 

I waited way to long - thought it would go away.  It didnt, till I saw the Doc

I'm like kelstev, I'd just wait for the few weeks.  But it's really difficult to get an appointment with my RD.  He's very popular here.  However, if you can get in to see your RD, maybe he can give you a steroid shot in the joint?  My RD always prefers I get a shot if just a joint or two are involved.

Bluehour, I recently went to my appointment and my hands were all swollen as well as my feet, she put me on injectable methotrexate, it really helped a lot. Until I worked in the yard and over used my hands, I really pushed the envelope and used clippers and pulled weeds, etc...well my hands are huge..the top knuckles are swollen and painful. I am going to wait, I think I overused them...I am curious , did you do anything extra?...like yard work? I ask because I asked this in another thread , but I thought I would ask you directly...I hope your proble resolves it self on it's own, but if it does not and it is bothersom and worries you, I would rather you error on the side of caution then to let something go and develop joint damage...Best wished to you. I have done yard work, I am playing golf, but have been doing so ever since April.  Not anything more than usual, really.  Another thing the last few weeks is the return of the intermittent nausea that I haven't felt for a long time, and suddenly my weekly mtx is making me sick the next day again.  None of my drugs or dosages have been changed.  Injectible mtx sounds good because maybe the nausea will be less. I did call the doc and left a message about the finger but it could be tomorrow before I hear from them, and here I sit eating ginger and looking at my poor swollen joints.  The fun never ends.  I guess I was getting too used to simply managing the pain, the return of the upset stomach is a real disappointment.The doctor ordered a pred burst for me over the next three weeks.  They think that will knock this flare down.  Thanks everyone for your advice.  We'll see how the prednisone works.  I made a bit of a fuss over taking it after weaning myself off it last year, but my medical researcher (my husband) says that he thinks this is what prednisone does best.  So we'll give it a try!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com