I would like with 2 issues, my fellow fighters! First, even though my hands are only minimally swollen, I drop things a lot during the day, probably 5-10 times a day. What could be the cause of this? Do others experience this? I could understand it if my hands were very swollen, but they are not. I am wondering if it is something neurological.
Secondly, I have had weight gain which I believe is due to Enbrel. I have heard of others who have had weight gain on this drug even though it is not listed as a side effect in the drug literature. My usual strategies for losing weight are not working. It could be compounded by the fact that I have reached the wonderful age of 50, when weight gain is usual and weight loss is more difficult due to a decreased metabolism. Can anyone share with me how they have been able to lose weight while still on this or a similar drug? Thanks so much for your input!
My hands are much clumsier than they used to be, even with minimal swelling. And of course, when things flare up, it is worse. My impression is that it is due to weakening rather than neurological in nature. The tingling that I do get in my hand is due to OA and inflammation in my wrist, rather than PsA. Fun.
I have dropsy too. I assumed it was due to inflammation even if I can't see swelling. I have lost weight on Enbrel but I believe it is due to the appetite suppression I get from mtx which I am also on. I did have weight gain with menopause. In order to lose it I had to double my exercise and decrease calories. I remember it well :-)
I had been dropping things, I thought is was because my hand did not work as well as the use to. But my Dr. ordered a Nerve Conduction study.
I have severe carpel tunnel syndrone in both hands. I think that because I am on such a strong pain medication I could not feel the carpel tunnel develope. So I am head to surgery in about a week to do both hands.
It started by dropping things then in the middle of the night my palms started to burn. Now my fingers are tingling.
I wear hand splints when not using my hands though I am better at remembering when they hurt. I had the EMG test in 2008 and have no carpal tunnel. I do get pain in my palm frequently (tendons?) and drop things. Sometimes I get numbness in them or tingles but I have a lot of spine damage from PsA but no back pain!
I seem to have no strength in my hands now, and no swelling that I can see but my specialist can. I also drop things but I think this is due to it being too painful to grip along with weakened joints. As a result of breaking things I now look at the design of things, something this shape )( I can hold on to but this shape II is not worth it for me....the consultants don't go into these types of things so I leave the medical advice to them, but I do the day to day coping strategies.....find what works or makes life easier seems to be one of my mottos
I forgot to say that with splints you have to be a little careful with activity with them on. If you are doing things with your hands and pushing against the splints you can irritate the tendons and end up with more hand pain not less. I f I am doing small infrequent things I wear them if I am off and on folding laundry or other types of activites I wear compression gloves like IMAK or other generic gloves. I bought a green pair of compression glove in a craft store. They are really cute! They help my hand pain immensely. I also do paraffin bath. That really helps too.
I drop things and I sometimes leave a trail of dropped items across my floors because my back is too bad to bend over to pick them up. Then I use my pick up stick. It is when my hands get so bad I can't undo screw bottle tops or open jars or spread my toast. I buy gadgets to help me and keep them in my kitchen draws. Pliers and a screwdriver also come in handy. What I find embarrassing is when I drop or spill food on myself when I am eating because my hands don't work as well as they should.
Yes Elle,
I drop things all the time! Last years flare centered mainly on my hands and since then I have ‘the dropsies’ I have permanent swellings on MCP joints of thumb and little finger on my right had and the thumb of the left. But these are only intermitantly painful and don’t seem to be the reason I’m continually dropping things…it seems to me like my hands just stop working at times. My feet and toes are covered in bruises where they get the brunt of my dropsies. I am also a lot clumsier in general and have given my fella elbow and finger pokes in the eye, ear, cheek! Poor man! He jokes I’m a husband beater.
Ive been on enbrel for about 15 weeks and I am now feeling great. I have lost 7 kgs as I can exercise more and not being in so much pain gives me greater discipline over what I eat. I have cut out sugar completley as there seemed to be a link to that and flares. Eating mainly fruit and vegatable, and fish now