My Rheumy always tells me, "Listen to your body", if it starts to hurt take a break, see if it subsides after a while & then go back. I'm not sure if you'll actually "cause more damage" by doing activities you like to do but I don't believe there's any benefit for "pushing through the pain" either.

thanks

maybe there is no one else to do it, you can't do division of labor, you can't barter it away, you can not afford or want to pay a lawn service person to do it, and you have no other option.

if that's the case. try wearing a thumb splint or soft hand splint when working (I know they are hot but they are supportive), ripping it off and icing in between or during tasks, and taking nsaids (if you are not allergic to them or something). it's a chronic disease. if you live alone and you have tasks and you can't give the tasks away or pay others to do the tasks then pushing through becomes pretty commonplace. i have broken a bone in my wrist from synovial fluid and my best ra bud has broken a bone in her ankle. but that's once in our lifetime each and we are in our 50's. i say do whatever you can bear. my theory is often i hurt whether or not I am moving - to a line in the sand. My line is where I become a pillar of salt and simply stop moving - in place :)

depot

Absolutely do stop! Using a joint with an active flare, especially a thumb can cause a serious permanent deformity. I know, it happened to me. I wanted the rocks removed from around my garden beds that my husband put there against my wishes, and weeds were a mess. My healthy son, and his future wife were staying with us, and they volunteered to help remove the rocks, so it could be replaced with black plastic and mulch.

My RA was not under control, and I had terrible flares in my thumbs. I wanted to quit, the pain had me in tears, but my husband was being horrible and inflexible, and said if I quit, the job wouldn't get done. In three days, my thumbs migrated at the base into huge bunions. They were mostly stable until the last two year long med failure. Now I have to wear specially made thumb caps to do anything. I can't hold any thing wide, like a milk bottle, or pepper mill. My rheumatologist is pressuring me to get them reconstructed they are so badly deformed. But I play flute, and I can't use the thumb caps, they limit my range of motion. If they ended up like that, I wouldn't be able to play. I had a very unsuccessful foot reconstruction, so I learned my lesson about trying to put joints back together through surgery.

And it just took 3 days of hard work to destroy my thumbs. My advice is to stop the work. If it needs to get done, hire someone. If you can't afford it, wait till your disease is under control. If neighbours complain, let them know they are welcome to help.

There is never a reason to damage your body for work, play or yard work. The damage is forever, the yard work could care less!

I feel your pain....literally I do agree you shouldn't push too hard. My problem is the pain isn't flaring up while doing the activity it is after. Then it is too late!
I am very fortunate to have mild disease. But 2 weeks ago I also decided to work in my yard - and am regretting it. I worked a fraction of what I used to do, but my wrist has become more painful than anything I have experienced so for in my short 3 years with this diagnosis. Basic tasks are very painful and it's my dominant hand.

The twitching you described may be from muscle weakness. Both my hands and arms were shaking terribly shortly after I stopped gardening that first day two weeks ago. My hands and arms have become quite weak since I really protect them from over use to try to avoid damage. I worry I have been overprotective and now am suffering the consequences. I have continued very light daily maintenance like watering or such to keep some movement.

But it really stinks to give up most of my gardening. I am lucky to have help from my husband and son,
and pay for most of the big work to be done. But I really enjoyed it
- even hours in scorching hot and humid summers.

hey doodles

I get joy from herbal garden that is INSIDE and perfect table height on a south sided set of glass windows. i get to feel green and I can pretend it's not an accommodation but really just something I love, inside.

i get huge swelling (hand look like popeye joints) especially when I remove the working splints then boom. with that swelling comes the disfunction. if the joints are not as swollen then I have (some) strength. i try to talk to my biceps and forearm muscles but that's kind of hard when those wrists and hands are attached at the end.

depot