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I saw my PCP last week because my knee had been bothering me off and on for about 5 weeks. I figured it was arthritis or a torn meniscus. After I walk about 2 blocks, it begins to hurt a great deal, similar to when I had a torn meniscus. My PCP ordered an x-ray and it showed some inflammation. He said that with MC, all anti-inflammatories are off-limits. I'm impressed that he understands that. He recommended putting a cool pack on it three times a day and letting it rest. I've managed to cool it only once a day at night, but I've stopped going for walks, riding my bike and swimming. It seems to be better, but I won't know until I start exercising it again. I mentioned to the PCP that I've reduced my Entocort dosage, and he said that's probably allowed the inflammation to show up. He also prescribed Tramadol for the pain, but I haven't filled the prescription. When it hurts, I just sit down and it feels better.
The second problem began showing up about a week later. My right hand began to hurt, particularly my baby finger. I am left-handed, but we left-handed people learn to live in the right-hand world, and I use my right hand quite a lot. Last week I realized that my baby finger (pinky?) is numb on the inner side. I was initially worried that it was from a blood clot because my dad had blood clots in the veins going to his hand before he died. The PCP, however, said he thinks it's peripheral neurophy.
I'm having electrodiagnostic testing tomorrow, specifically an EMG (electromyography) and an NGS (Nerve Conduction Study) to determine where the nerve damage and/or muscle damage are. I suspect that there isn't anything that can be done for peripheral neurophy, other than going GF, which I already have.
I welcome any comments or insight.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
There are a couple of meds that are effective for peripheral neuropathies (there are different types). Amitriptiline is often used as s gabapenten (sp?) There is not much else that is effective.
Immobilizing with a splint might help.
Let us know what the dx for both your problems is. Easier to help when there is a dx.
Sorry to hear about the additional problems. They seem to go with the turf.
Back before I discovered that I was sensitive to gluten, I found that flax seed oil was very helpful for reducing my knee inflammation problems.
For the peripheral neuropathy, see if your doctor will write a prescription for Metanx. I've have very good results using it to treat my peripheral neuropathy. Metanx was specifically developed to treat the peripheral neuropathy that often results from diabetes mellitus.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
The hand issue could be related to repetitive actions, like those that cause carpel tunnel - using the computer or iPad more than usual will sometimes do that to me. The ulnar nerve in the arm is the one that travels to the pinky side of the hand. Aside from it becoming irritated from going through the fibrous band in the wrist (carpel tunnel), it can be irritated by a problem in the neck where it leaves the spinal column - like from a slipped disc. Anyway, you are having tests, so hopefully some light will be shed. Good luck and keep us posted.
Love,
Polly
I agree with Tex that the vitamins may be a good idea.
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Thank you all for your concern and input. I truly appreciate it.
I had the testing this morning and the Dr. says it's mild to moderate carpel tunnel, not enough for surgery. I was pretty relieved. He gave me a wrist brace to wear while I'm sleeping. I've tried one that we had at home for the last several nights and it seems to be helping a bit. I noticed that part of my "fall asleep" routine is to curl up my right hand, including my wrist, and lay on it tucked under my chest. I do it with my left hand, too. That position is hard on the nerves, of course. I'll be sleeping with both wrist braces for a month, then visit the Dr. so he can see how I'm doing. I'm hoping I can heal the nerves over time.
He also wants me to put a cool pack on it at night to bring down the inflammation because, again, I can't take any anti-inflammatory meds. I'll be putting a cool pack on my knee and hand every night until I see him.
Polly, your explanation makes more sense than the testing doctor's. He couldn't understand why I have numbness in my pinky.
Tex, I did try flax oil a while back per your recommendation, but I reacted to it. I take glucosamine, but not chondroitin because I don't handle fish very well. If I had neurophy I was going to try the B vitamins. I take a multivitamin which provides enough to meet the MDR. I remember that I had a similar knee problem when I was in Hawaii a couple of years ago. Perhaps this problem will come and go and I just have to stay off of it when it's bothering me.
My daughter and granddaughters are coming to visit from Utah for two weeks starting tomorrow. Once they go home, I'll go to their house for a week to babysit while DD attends faculty meetings. I may be in and out of the board for the next month, but I try to check the messages a few times a week.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
So sorry for your additional problems, Gloria. It is always something for sure.
You've been using your hands a lot doing canning and all that goes with it. That probably exacerbated whatever was going on. A friend recently had carpal tunnel surgery and is doing great.
I wear a thumb spica brace on my right hand/wrist at night to relieve thumb joint and wrist pain. I'm seeing a hand surgeon next week to try to find a solution to the increased pain and weakness in my right hand. Living alone makes surgery a tough choice.
Hope your family time gives you a bit of a rest.
Sheila W
To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.
A person who never made a mistake never tried something new. Einstein
1. Try to rest your right hand. Use your left hand for as much as you can.
2. Splints helped. In addition to night use I'd recommend for use on keyboard until you are healed as they will keep your wrists in proper position.
3. When watching tv at night put ice packs on your wrist.
4. For pain....mine was severe......put ice in bucket, fill with water so that you can submerge your fingers and hand and wrist midway up your lower arm in the cold icy water. I think I did this about 4 x per day and before bed. I usually used kind of a candle dipping process w/ my hand/wrist/arm--submerged as long as I could stand the cold then pull everything out then repeat etc for about 5 or 10 minutes. This really helped. Make sure to submerge your wrist (not just the pinky.)
5. Try to keep chopping, pitting, mousing, keyboarding anything repetitive to a minimum.
6. If you don't already use the microsoft ergonomic keyboard suggest switch to that. It looks funky but you will feel comfortable in about a day. Put your fingers in the home position and don't look at the keyboard and you will do ok when typing. If you mouse with your right hand switch to mousing with your left hand. Change mouse button setting on your computer. This took me about 3-4 days to master. It kind of was about retraining your brain. It very well could have been kitchen chopping that brought on your ct but changing out your keyboard and mouse will help you heal faster and protect from repeat occurence over the next 35 years of your life.
Don't get discouraged if it takes a little while to heal. Mine was very,very severe and I was probably a candidate for surgery but it healed after about 5 months but again mine was very severe. The bucket of ice water dips was pretty much the only way I survived the pain. Since you just have pinky involvement you should heal much quicker than me. Again...mine was severe.....excruciating pain to shower, I could not do buttons or zippers so I pretty much lived in sweats for the duration.
In the big picture this will be nothing compared to conquering MC.
HI Gloria, I 'm sorry to hear this has cropped up for you. My two cents-- acupuncture might be an option too, to help with pain and inflammation. Pain is one area where acupuncture is clinically proven to be effective. If it works for you it could mean having to take fewer meds and that's always a good thing.
take care,
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I second the recommendations for Metanx and acupuncture. Metanx is better than any multi or b complex because it contains the most bioavailable forms of the b vitamins. You can get it prescribed by injection and skip the digestive tract altogether.
I could use full arm braces at night! Like you, I curl my arms and hands into incredibly weird positions when I sleep, usually above my head, so I constantly wake up with hands asleep, and always the pinky fingers. I swear my ulnar nerve must be more exposed than most, because it falls asleep multiple times a day just resting my arms in armchairs, resting elbows on a table, etc. The slightest pressure on my elbows makes my last 2 fingers numb. Doc says all the nerve irritation is not good, but I haven't found a sleep solution for my hand contortions yet.
