My hands swell up in the morning also. These tend to be episodes of flares.

I will soak my hands in warm water or I use pariffin wax. There are pariffin machines in the stores that you can purchase. You dip your hands in the pariffin wax and it puts a coating on your hands. You wrap your hands and the locked in heat helps with the swelling. It feels very nice.

Hope that helps.

Hi there,

this could be the start of rheumatoid arthritis (i've had it for 13 years) which usually affects the hands and feet, you're hands are usually very sore and tender as well. The only way to really know whats going on is to go to a rheumatologist, they will test your blood and take xrays. Although sometimes it can take a year for rheumatoid to show up in your blood, they diagnosed mine by just looking at my hands..I had classic 'rhematoid hands'...When you make a fist there is barely any indentation between your knuckles. Other symtpoms of this disease include fatigue a general unwell feeling/flu like...Sometimes weight loss. But I don't want to scare you it could be anything. You need to go to a doctor to get your answers..Early diagnosis is the best course of action when it comes to dealing with a disease.

Hi gymbunny,

my girlfriend was diagnosed with possible ra yesterday. She mainly suffers in her hands and feet and has had massive pain for the last 6 months.


In an effort to try and understand what is going on with her I stumbled across this site.

She is hugely worried about what could happen as most of the pharmaceutical sites give a terrible ten year scenario whereby your joints deteriorate and you loose most of your functionality. I am guessing that every body has a different case and she is certainly in the early stages, but from your experience, is there anything that you could recommend?

Does the appearance and function of hands really happen so quickly? She is 29 and is scared silly about what the future holds for her.


Thank you for any time taken to answer. It would help us both a great deal.

(sorry, just realised that the last reply was from feb....... Any body else who has any advise is also much appreciated!)


a

Hi 'board' from holland!
sorry it took so long for me to respond. I would tell your friend who was diagnosed with ra in feb not to listen to any doctor that practices western medicine or any pharmacist...I know i've changed my tune since february. But I went to a naturopath in march and it was the best thing i've ever done for myself..After 13 years...I am pain free...And off all my anti inflammitory medication. The naturopath told me not to eat any cheese or milk and to cut wheat, pork, chocolate, peanut butter, and limit my sugar intake...After two weeks I was waking up and bouncing out of bed every morning..Pain free...I tried eating cheese again and was achey and in pain again the next day...So for me its definitely dairy (although I can still eat eggs) I will tell you that your friend should stay active..Going to the gym and lifting light weights is a great way to keep your joints healthy...But above all its been my stubborness thats pulled me through.

Hi gymbunny,

i was not expecting a reply that quickly!!!! You have answered in record time!! Thank you for taking the time.


I did so much reading last night trying to find out more and saw that a persons diet can really help so it is really good that you have confirmed that it works!!! I am really glad that you are doing so well and it is great to hear from somebody who is so positive about this.

Your message will offer her great support and hope for the future too!


Good luck with everything and I will post again to let you know how things are going.


All the best and thanks again!


Andy

You might sugggest trying those prolotex gloves that give off fir rays. I started using them a few months ago and am reasonably pleased with the results. The one thing I like is that they don't require any of those messy creams.

Worth a try seeing as there are some sensitive dairy diet issues etc.

Although I am not a dr I recommend diet, exercise and to try and stay away from surgery as much as possible as surgery can not only cause scar tissue but it can also cause arthritis down the road, I am unable to take anti-anflammitory meds and a lot of the herbal natural meds do not even touch my symptoms which their are plenty of although I have cut down on my regular meds because I realize that I will have these medical sutuations the rest of my life and I know that I must accept them and live with them as I do not want to become a druggy so I just do the best I can do and I also realize that their is a difference between a want and a need.
All the best to all of you and yours!

The last time I posted was a long time ago and I just received an email which reminded me of this thread.

Well, nearly two years on and my now wife is relatively pain free. She was on mtx for a few months but chose to try alternate therapy also. She changed her diet after seeing a specialist and the results came fairly quickly afterwards.

She has been off all medication for over a year now, still follows the diet and really does not have anything more than sensitive joints.

She is now pregnant which would not have been possible if she was still taking the mtx so a change of diet really helped her/ us.

Thanks for the input back in 2004 and hope all is well.

I have the exact same thing. It just started happening recently. I can sometimes feel the swelling up to my elbows as well but not always.

Movement helps to bring down some of the swelling but then it reoccurs each morning. Some mornings it's worse than others.

Can anyone tell me what are Prolotex Gloves? What do you mean by gives off fir rays? Please explain. Where can I purchase these gloves? Are they a prescription item?

Thanks for any help!

I've had similar symptoms. Swelling of one or both hands to varying degrees. But have had tests for RA etc etc and so far nothing. But I recently realised that for me it depends on the sleeping position. If I manage to sleep with my arms straight, and not squashing my arm against body when on my side, I do not get any swelling. But lying on my back with hands on the top of my chest I will, after an hour. i.e. seems to be something to do with bending my elbows, and position of sholders. Does position effect anyone else have this, or am I just odd?

My knuckles used to be red and swollen from Rheumatoid Arthritis and my ankles swollen and stiff. Then unfortunately I came down with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. They gave me Rituxan and it killed the cancer and helped the arthritis. Now I take a juice everyday and it relieves the pain and stiffness. It also helped a shoulder injury too. I couldn't take any pain killers anymore because they were killing my stomach. This does not bother my stomach.

I got to work this morning and my hands were itching. Within an hour it was almost unbearable. It's been 10 hours since this started and I can stand the itching but my hands (both) are so swollen you can't see the knuckles on the back of my hands.

To Catbite:
just a few questions

how long did you walk around with Rheumatoid Arthritis before they diagnosed you with Non-Hodgkins Lympoma? When did you start taking the Rituxan, for how long did you take it and how is your health right now?

Thank you for answering, I think I'm having the same illness as you.

my husband had painful swollen hands and was treated with a Rheumatoid arthritis medication last year. He had flu like symptoms and fatigue. Bottom line he died Jan 1 2009 from lung inflmation which was mis diagnosed for bacteria pnuemonia. They did try the prednisone and it began to work but than continued to have flare ups. He could not get off the ventilato and his body gave up, etc. My question. Could the rheumatoid medications have triggered the lung problem?

The doctor says all my tests are negative and I am just getting old, I'm 51. The last six months, pain has been my constant companion. When I wake up my hands are swollen, painful and tender, like claws unable to make a fist or straighten my fingers. They burn and sometimes have some numbness. Sometimes my fingers "lock" and then pop open. My feet swell at times and my shoulders get stiff. I have lost the strength in my hands. Is there something else my doctor should check besides my blood tests? I'm sure there must be something that could help. My activities have drastically changed with not being able to use my hands like before. Any suggestions?

gmasunshine,

I had the same problem and it was helped by a low oxalate diet. For info, check out the yahoo Group, trying_low_oxalates. Here is there introduction:

"This group is set up for those wanting to explore the low oxalate diet, and will offer information and support on how to implement this diet and other methods of lowering oxalates.

Oxalates are present in much higher quantities in some foods compared to others. This becomes more of a problem when the gut is leaky, because higher quantities of oxalates will be absorbed from foods.

The body also makes oxalates. In some conditions, like vitamin B6 deficiency, and because of genetic defects in certain enzymes, or because of oxidative stress, or in some types of bowel disease, and in cystic fibrosis, the body will make or absorb too much oxalate.

Excess oxalate may lead to kidney stones and problems with oxalate crystals forming in other organs. These crystals form much more easily in tissues that are injured when they are exposed to oxalates and this may cause pain. A diet restricting high-oxalate foods or other foods that are metabolized into oxalates may be helpful to reduce these problems.

People who have tried the low oxalate diet have noted improvements in areas that are not discussed in detail in the medical literature, so part of what we want to do on this list is learn things that can inform the work of oxalate scientists. By sharing our experiences with this diet in various conditions, we will learn more about all the possibilities of what will change on a low oxalate diet.

Welcome!"

Certain foods are really high in oxalates, spinach, all soy products, most berries and some other fruits (This group is set up for those wanting to explore the low oxalate diet, and will offer information and support on how to implement this diet and other methods of lowering oxalates.

Oxalates are present in much higher quantities in some foods compared to others. This becomes more of a problem when the gut is leaky, because higher quantities of oxalates will be absorbed from foods.

The body also makes oxalates. In some conditions, like vitamin B6 deficiency, and because of genetic defects in certain enzymes, or because of oxidative stress, or in some types of bowel disease, and in cystic fibrosis, the body will make or absorb too much oxalate.

Excess oxalate may lead to kidney stones and problems with oxalate crystals forming in other organs. These crystals form much more easily in tissues that are injured when they are exposed to oxalates and this may cause pain. A diet restricting high-oxalate foods or other foods that are metabolized into oxalates may be helpful to reduce these problems.

People who have tried the low oxalate diet have noted improvements in areas that are not discussed in detail in the medical literature, so part of what we want to do on this list is learn things that can inform the work of oxalate scientists. By sharing our experiences with this diet in various conditions, we will learn more about all the possibilities of what will change on a low oxalate diet.

Welcome!

Certain foods are very high in oxalates: spinach, other greens, most soy products, most berries (especially raspberries) and many other fruits, most nuts, grains, beans, most teas, chocolate, most whole grains (although the grains without the covering can be consumed in lower quantities), coffee, and most root vegetables (potatoes and beets especially).

I hope you get some benefit from it.

kdmigloo

Corrected posting (not sure what happened there:

for gmasunshine:

I had the same issues with swollen, painful, weak hands, especially in the morning.

I tried the low oxalate diet and it helped a lot. Here's info from the Yahoo group, trying_low_oxalates:

"This group is set up for those wanting to explore the low oxalate diet, and will offer information and support on how to implement this diet and other methods of lowering oxalates.

Oxalates are present in much higher quantities in some foods compared to others. This becomes more of a problem when the gut is leaky, because higher quantities of oxalates will be absorbed from foods.

The body also makes oxalates. In some conditions, like vitamin B6 deficiency, and because of genetic defects in certain enzymes, or because of oxidative stress, or in some types of bowel disease, and in cystic fibrosis, the body will make or absorb too much oxalate.

Excess oxalate may lead to kidney stones and problems with oxalate crystals forming in other organs. These crystals form much more easily in tissues that are injured when they are exposed to oxalates and this may cause pain. A diet restricting high-oxalate foods or other foods that are metabolized into oxalates may be helpful to reduce these problems.

People who have tried the low oxalate diet have noted improvements in areas that are not discussed in detail in the medical literature, so part of what we want to do on this list is learn things that can inform the work of oxalate scientists. By sharing our experiences with this diet in various conditions, we will learn more about all the possibilities of what will change on a low oxalate diet.

Welcome!"

Certain foods are very high in oxalates: spinach, other greens, most soy products, most berries (especially raspberries) and many other fruits, most nuts, grains, beans, most teas, chocolate, most whole grains (although the grains without the covering can be consumed in lower quantities), coffee, and most root vegetables (potatoes and beets especially).

I hope you get some benefit from it.

kdmigloo