oh my aching hands

Have had rheumatoid arthritis for years…starting to feel it more lately, so may be time to try switching meds. Can’t wait for osteoarthritis to start becoming an issue. Yay! Not.
 
rcsrich said:
Have had rheumatoid arthritis for years…starting to feel it more lately, so may be time to try switching meds. Can’t wait for osteoarthritis to start becoming an issue. Yay! Not.
Click to expand...

Does the hand pain from RA change on a daily basis? I'm still trying to figure out what mine is (I have I think 2 separate issues: pain at base of thumbs, but also numbness/tingling on the last 2 fingers of left hand)... both conditions can get better or worse by the day. Today wasn't bad for the numbness/tingling, but it has been bad for the last several days. My thumb pain has been good for about 3 days, but the week prior was worse...

Just wondering if RA acts like that? I still have to go to hand doctor to get looked at, but I'm currently trying to suss out chronic, severe headaches (and neckaches) as well as an active EBV (lots of symptoms from that one)...
 
@ruger9 It can definitely vary, tho it also often affects joints on multiple limbs on the same side…like right now it’s bad in my right index finger and pinky, and similar pain in some joints in my right foot. It ebbs & flows and sometimes flares regardless of the medication I’m on. So I guess it’s relatively consistent day to day, but changes more over weeks/months? It’s also worst in the morning & tends to get better as you use the joint during the day. Exercise helps, but it doesn’t necessarily feel good doing it.

Definitely see a rheumatologist or other specialist- sounds like you have something going on for sure.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I had to stop doing weights with my arms because squeezing that metal bar while doing them was RUINING the arthritis in my hand. I've never been a big free weight guy anyway, but am not stuck with elliptical, the exercise bands and calisthenics. I also have to be very careful about carrying heavy things that require me to put a lot of weight on my fingers, like moving heavy furniture.
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I'm concerned about that when I go on long rides on my Harley. I have mild arthritis pain in my fingers, just enough to be really irritating. When I get done gripping the handlebars on my bike after holding on to them for a number of hours, they kinda feel like they want to stay there in that position and don't want to let go. Squeezing the levers for shifting and braking doesn't feel very good either.

So now I'm wondering if riding the motorcycle is going to bring on the arthritis symptoms in my hands faster, and whether or not I can save my hands and get more years of use out of them by NOT riding the motorcycle anymore. I may need to quit riding the motorcycle anyway because the arthritis in my lower back is a lot worse than what's going on in my fingers.
 
rcsrich said:
@ruger9 It can definitely vary, tho it also often affects joints on multiple limbs on the same side…like right now it’s bad in my right index finger and pinky, and similar pain in some joints in my right foot. It ebbs & flows and sometimes flares regardless of the medication I’m on. So I guess it’s relatively consistent day to day, but changes more over weeks/months? It’s also worst in the morning & tends to get better as you use the joint during the day. Exercise helps, but it doesn’t necessarily feel good doing it.

Definitely see a rheumatologist or other specialist- sounds like you have something going on for sure.
Click to expand...

Ah so it's symmetrical pain? I have plenty of that, mostly in my neck, both shoulders, and upper back. I've had plenty of bloodwork and my RA factor always comes back negative, altho my wife works with someone who has "RA Negative" RA: even though he tests negative, he has been diagnosed with it,

A rheumatologist will be next on my list: after the neurologist and infectious disease specialist... getting old sucks (I'm "only" 54!)
 
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ruger9 said:
Ah so it's symmetrical pain? I have plenty of that, mostly in my neck, both shoulders, and upper back. If had plenty of bloodwork and my RA factor always comes back negative, altho my wife works with someone who has "RA Negative" RA: even this he tests negative, he has been diagnosed with it,

A rheumatologist will be next on my list: after the neurologist and infectious disease specialist... getting old sucks (I'm "only" 54!)
Click to expand...
Good luck- hope they can get it figured out!
 
HANGAR18 said:
I'm concerned about that when I go on long rides on my Harley. I have mild arthritis pain in my fingers, just enough to be really irritating. When I get done gripping the handlebars on my bike after holding on to them for a number of hours, they kinda feel like they want to stay there in that position and don't want to let go. Squeezing the levers for shifting and braking doesn't feel very good either.

So now I'm wondering if riding the motorcycle is going to bring on the arthritis symptoms in my hands faster, and whether or not I can save my hands and get more years of use out of them by NOT riding the motorcycle anymore. I may need to quit riding the motorcycle anyway because the arthritis in my lower back is a lot worse than what's going on in my fingers.
Click to expand...
I’d try something very padded, like neoprene on your hand grips. My hand cramps up bad when I right my bicycle because the grips are rubber over metal (hard). I have to take my hands off and flex them multiple times during a ride and usually ride night means “no guitar night.” Same for mowing night IF I have to run the weed eater.

See if you can get some padded grips, or wrap some neoprene around them and see if that helps. That’s what I just did with my dumb bells, so I’ll know if it helps soon.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I’d try something very padded, like neoprene on your hand grips. My hand cramps up bad when I right my bicycle because the grips are rubber over metal (hard). I have to take my hands off and flex them multiple times during a ride and usually ride night means “no guitar night.” Same for mowing night IF I have to run the weed eater.

See if you can get some padded grips, or wrap some neoprene around them and see if that helps. That’s what I just did with my dumb bells, so I’ll know if it helps soon.
Click to expand...

I wear padded gloves for that reason. Helps a ton.
 
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