MCTD Support Group

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or Sharp's syndrome is a human autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body. MCTD combines features of polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic scleroderma and is thus considered an overlap syndrome. MCTD commonly causes joint pain/swelling, Raynaud phenomenon, muscle inflammation, and scarring of...

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My hands are getting bad

BuffyS
BuffyS
I've started having "trigger finger" and general finger stiffness and pain. This freaks me out because my mother has RA really bad and her hands are like claws now (she is 79 years old, but her hands have been a mess for many years). Anyone here affected by hand and finger pain? What do you do for it i.e. exercises, etc.?
tlfj00007
tlfj00007
My hands don't bother me the same as yours but I use the stress balls and try to keep my hands from getting cold. This means I wear gloves even in the house. It looks stupid but it helps. Terry
Catalyzt
Catalyzt
This is only a minor symptom for me, but it's noticeable. I play guitar, and I just expect that I'm going to suck for the first 20 minutes. When I play live, I do only very short sets, and always warm up for 20 minutes in the same room I will be playing in. Last night I hadn't played in six days, and man, I was terrible for the first half hour!
brunob
brunob
Keep your hands as warm as possible and keep them active, stretches and such. Don't over work them though......it's a fine line.
MToennis
MToennis
Mine swell and hurt more when I eat more salt. Keeping the salt down helps that.
I also have more problems when I overuse my hands. I am a nurse and take blood pressures all day. Some days, I might take 100 or more pressures. And my right hand is killing me. The other day, I got a cuff with a leak in it. Now, you can take an accurate BP with that, but you have to pump 2x as much to get the air in. After an hour, I took that thing and pitched it in the trash. My co workers were afraid our boss would get upset as the budget is tight. The next day, he took me aside and said he ordered some replacement cuffs. So, dont make more work for your hands than you have to.
Last but not least, I take Celebrex. If I miss my meds in the morning, by noon my hands hurt a lot. Otherwise they are just a little sore sometimes. Stretching also helps. And keep them warm.
Mary Ann
BuffyS
BuffyS
Thanks for the advice. I was crocheting for relaxation but I guess that's one hobby I have to shelve again. I'll ask my rheumy about Celebrex when I see him on the 22nd.
MToennis
MToennis
I think you just have to limit your time doing your handwork, just as you have to limit computer time. Using a mouse is hard on me. More than typing. But I have to limit that sometimes. I do what I like to do within reason. So, keep crocheting. Just break it up with another movement and dont do it for long periods at one time. Good luck.
Mary Ann