Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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oceans11 04/20/2018

Wow it feels like it's been a long time since I've been on here. Thankfully I've felt pretty good except about a month ago I started getting this popping feeling in my right thumb especially when picking something up like my dog or some gym activities. I didn't pay it any mind becuase it didn't hurt it just felt weird. Well after a few weeks of that, the area started to get inflammed & some pain started to develop. Went to the Ortho & they dx'd it as De Quervains.

Has anyone else gone through this? It's only in one hand so neither my Rheumy or the Ortho think it's RA related or at very worst it's possibly complicated slightly by having RA.

Just had the Steroid Injections on Tuesday 4/17 & the pain is gone but I notice I'm still having the rubber band popping sensation under certain movements.

Just trying to determine if this is just normal or did the steroid not work?

depotblue 04/21/2018

the steroid injections did not help my hands, fingers, thumbs. I refused them after a while, for those areas. I had the left wrist and left thumb operated on years ago. presently the left it is wicked awesome, well compared to the right. Hang in there. I wear resting splints only while sleeping.

oceans11 04/21/2018

Thanks for replying Linzsey & depotblue, much appreciated!! So this is very interesting & helpful to know. Geeeez well hopefully it's not ongoing or chronic for a long period of time. I don't want to do the surgery not because of fear but at this stage of the disease I don't feel it's necessary. I really don't want another treatment of injections either. Doesn't seem like it did much to "release" the tendon from where ever it's getting stuck or caught.

Oh well, it's only affecting my gym life & picking up my little Pekingnese (I can always use the left for him! LOL).

depotblue 04/21/2018

the period of time between injections and surgery for me was about 10 years oceans. I had lost function enough that it made sense. before that time i just did accommodations - until such a long period of time went by that I could no longer. yeah at least you don't have a mastiff (laughing) - and switch to the nautilus instead of free weights - nautilus is nice for sitting on the stations and day dreaming. laughing.

oceans11 04/23/2018

@ depotblue,
Oh wow you have a Mastiff?? My lil guy would be like a snack for him! LOL! Well, it's been a few days & it does seem to be getting better. I don't have any pain & haven't since the day after the injection but the rubberband snapping "seems" to be slowly subsiding & not as "dramatic" as it once was. Hopefully given a few more weeks maybe it'll be back to normal?

cupcakedecay 04/02/2019

Hi, Looking for some info and help. I had some pain and popping in my thumb for a few months, I finally went to an ortho/hand specialist he told me I had De Querivans and when he tired to bend my wrist to do the "test" it barely bent and hurt so bad. He gave me a steroid injection approx. 4 days ago. I feel less constricted with thumb but still don't want to move it due to pain being so bad. The Doctor said it could take up to 1 month for the steroid injection to help but if it hasn't after that then it wasn't going to help. I am anxious I guess I was hoping it would be magic. My right thumb/wrist is the worst but the left is slight and im concerned. Can anyone here tell me more about how you found the injections working/timing and about surgery. obviously I could not deal with this pain forever its been hell if I accidentally use my thumb or wrist the "wrong" way its soooo painful. I am really upset and I guess looking for more information. did anyone have surgery also.

Kimhurts 04/02/2019

A little different but I started having tendonitis in my Achilles tendon when my med started failing. I got steroid shots, but they never lasted long. Switched meds and so far, so good... or it is the prednisone I'm taking. Yeah, definitely the prednisone.

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