My RD thinks they may be vasculitis, but he's not sure. I get hard tender bumps on my fingertips and knuckles. They are hard, feverish and sometimes turn white. The swelling goes down and the skin peels. Since my doc says he's just guessing and they go along with my flares I thought I'd ask you. The swelling is different than the joint swelling and sometimes occurs no where near any joint. (like fingertips).
K-Lynn
Maybe Reynauld's.These aren't just rheumatoid nodules? I have what sounds like the same thing, with the exception that mine never turn white, and my skin doesn't peel.
But mine definitely wax and wane, according to what kind of day I'm having. And oh man, are they ever tender!
If he suspects it, he should biopsy them. Vasculitis ranges all the way from a nuisance to potentially very serious. He should either biopsy it himself or send you to a Dermatologist.
Yes, I have it. They've never got a good biopsy done because mine itch and I get them in the worst places.
You should also try heavy duty sunscreen and see if that helps. I used to get really bad ones on my face, hands and arms that caused scars and white pigmentation. So, lather it on or keep it covered up. Wear gloves outside.
Thank you so much for responding. We don't think it is Reynaud's because ice often helps relieve the discomfort. With Reynauds it would cause more pain. I get nodules on my elbows and these seem different. I'll be sure to get a biopsy next time they flare up. I'll also use more suncreen--I haven't really been in the sun when they are flaring. I was concerned when my Doc said he hadn't seen them before. I live in a small town and he's the only RD for quite some distance. The closest Dermatologist is over an hour away, but I think I should look into it. Thanks again.
K-Lynn
Hi, Im new here...I noticed this post, interesting..I was diagnosed Jan 05. I am currently taking; Humira, Mtx, Folic, Pred, Voltarol, PK. In October, some of my fingers started to get lumpy, very sore. My thumb looked like something out of alien!? Gp said warts?! I have never had warts but I;m not sure at all...they turn white and peel?! I have now been ref to a dermatologist, I guess they donlt know what they are?! Gp says it's a side effect of Humira or Mtx...[QUOTE=sam3]Gp says it's a side effect of Humira or Mtx...[/QUOTE]
I don't think so. Double-check me on that one by doing a search on those two meds. But that doesn't sound right at all and I'd still see the Dermatologist.
I get these also. They are not nodules--they are little hive-like blisters filled with water. They itch, scab over and go away. I thought it might be heat-rash or something like that but it only started happening after I started on all the RA drugs so I figure it is something to do with the drugs. I put some antibotiac (sp?) cream on them until they go away. I have not mentioned it to the RA dr -- I just deal with it. I don't need another drug rxd to stop the blisters.
By the way I had to re-register to get back on this site.
I get these, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000832.htm especially on or around swollen joints, or when I'm stressed out - I suddenly realize I'm scratching my fingers.
My rheumy called it Pompholyx (great sci fi charactor name
K-Lynn
I used to get teeny little blisters all over my hands they would itch then oooze Sometimes i couldn't shampoo my hair because it would get caught in the open blisters.
This was back in the 70's. My dr had no idea what they were. They were constant, and wearing gloves to wash dishes made no diference.
Believe it or not they went away after I got a nasty case of blood poisoning in my hands from being in my mom's horse barn. I scratched my hand in a stall on a dirty piece of wood. The red streaks were going all the way up to my armpit, I went to the ER was treated for it and the darn blisters went away and never came back.
of course I can't recommend that as a way to get rid of your blisters, lol
Hi,
I showed these today at clinic, I forget the name used for them, something to do with the blood vessels, anyway, to cut a long story short, they are not the side effect of Mtx or Humira, they are common amongst people with Ra and there is no need to see the dermatologist. I guess it's one of those things and once the Ra is under more control it will reduce the problem. So I'm not warty!!!
It is SO wierd to see this post! I have these buggers on almost ALL of my fingertips. Many are scarred over and yellowish, dry and scaly. They are indented too. The new lesions are just as you all have described. They're painful at first. They are so much worse in the winter months. I went to a dermatologist about these. He wasn't sure what they were. He wanted me to have some far -out blood test, that I never got. He never mentioned biopsy. I was doing research on my own via the internet, and found "Chilblains". They are often associatated with scleroderma, so it must be some auto-immune thing. I'm in remission now, and not on any meds for RA, so I don't believe they're med related.
They are an ugly pain. I think they look kinda warty.
This is what my scarred ones look like. The new lesions are bumpy, hard, and painful! Please let me know if this is similiar to you.
Page on pompholyx with many pics - http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/pompholyx.html
Page on chilblains with 3 pics - http://www.dermnetnz.org/reactions/chilblains.html
I found this discussion because I googled "blisters arthritis". I have a seronegative arthritis, probably psoriatic. I've been on Humira for two years, prednisone, mtx and these blisters/ganglion cysts/nodules just developed everywhere. I described them to my rheumatologist over the phone -- I got 10 of them on my fingers and thumbs two days after I'd visited him. He thought they were probably nodules and maybe they are, but they feel more blistery than that.
Now I realize they are the same thing as something I've had for a couple of months. My dermatologist didn't know what they were when I described them and of course, I didn't have any when I saw him last. I thought maybe they were warts. My skin starts out stiff and hard,then it turns into a blister.
Anyway, thanks for the photo and the links. I'll check them out.
Emmasa01!
That's it, mine are the same!!!
I have one on each second finger and my right thumb from the last joint up to the end has 6! Can you beleive in such a small area?!!!
x
Hi kids, been a few months since I posted on here. I go to see the RD tomorrow. This is an interesting post. I started a week ago on Plaquinal and started itching the next day. I have vesicular or macular type lesions on my back , upper and lower arms, wrists, neck and chin area, and my upper thighs...It is a definite side effect of the plaquinal, a form of psoriasis called guttate psoriasis. It should clear up but it possibly will reoccur since there is a family history. I have dishydrotic eczema and it definately isnt the same. The psoriasis, really just itches and is painful. The dishydrotic eczema is on both my hands and feet and is worse on my feet, especially around the toes. The skin blisters and then literally will peel off in chunks. I have actually stepped into the shower and watched the skin split on my feet from the moisture. It has something to do with the sweat glands malfunctioning in those areas. As far as the psoriasis, I was reading on the net about it, and found that sometimes it just goes hand in hand with the arthritis. The other thing I have noticed in the past few weeks is that my fingers and across the knuckles turn a greyish blue and then like 3 days ago, I had the sensation in my finger tips like you get when you accidently touch a hot burner...It was just the tips felt like I had burned them, but when i touched them, the pain felt like it was actually in the bone, not in the layer of soft tissue. I wish you luck, and i would suggest a good emollient type moisturizer...it seems to help with both of these skin problems.Don't know what they are and I get them too. Had them before I started any of the meds. Sometimes its like the whole fingertip is covered and then they peel. It's usually just the thumb and index finger that I have the most problems with.I only skimmed this thread, but I do know that a common "extra" with RA is skin problems (random or otherwise). Especially around the fingernails. I'm not sure how that helps...but I felt like I had to throw it in there....LoLI get those blister buggers too. On my hands and feet, palm and sole side. Mine are caused by stress. Usually emotional but can be physical too. It first appeared in 3rd grade age 9 over an arithmetic test. I get it from some drugs too - kind of a 'hiv'y thing. I use otc cortisone cream. Can be horribly painful.I've had em' for years. I was told by a dermatologist that they were eczema. I have one now that is in the painful peeling bleeding stage on my toe. I put vaseline on them or lotion and try to keep them moisturized. They never go away. I get them both on my hands and feet. SOOOOO weird all that stuff that goes with RA.