to be in tears over my swollen hands?

[LittleLightbulb]

36 weeks pregnant. My whole body is fine apart from my hands which swell to stupid size every day. My fingers are actually painful and not really bendable. I've been to see midwife and definitely don't have pre-eclampsia (thankfully). My hands are so swollen however that I don't feel safe to drive properly and all the joints in my fingers hurt.

AIBU to want to just cut the bloody things off? Will they go back to normal? So ready for this baby...

That sounds horrible. I kept getting and hearing about new, weird pregnancy symptoms.

The first thing that srung to mind was pre eclampsia so I’m glad that has been ruled out.

Do you think having a manicure (hand massage) would help? It might reduce the swelling and therefore the pain.

Fill a bowl with ice and dunk your hands in. Take ibruprofen to get the swelling down.

Do not take ibuprofen for water retention 🤨

OP you've probably got severe pregnancy induced Carpal Tunnel. Mine went within 48hrs of giving birth. It was horrible!! I was getting trigger finger from the swollen sheaths and fluid 🤢

Ibuprofen is generally not recommended during pregnancy but the cold water may help if it doesn’t make the pain worse.

Will people who are not medical or health professionals and have knowledge in pregnancy please STOP RECOMMENDING STUPID THINGS? Ibuprofen should NOT be taken during pregnancy at all as it is a risk to the baby! Besides, it will do bugger all for water retention.

OP, there are morning exercises your physio will be able to recommend to shift fluid. Deep massage from tip of the fingers to the elbow will help shift water too. Drink lots of water every day, as active kidneys will help move some of that water out of the tissues into the lymph. Sleep with your hands prepped up by cushions or pillows, and use walking sticks/ski sticks when walking to keep your hands higher. These things will not cure your swollen hands but may make them more bearable.

I had this late pregnancy and it was carpal tunnel related (plus i was a water balloon the amount i was retaining!) .. i used a splint at night which really helped with the early morning swelling. And yes, it went within 48hrs - i remember making fists with my hands and showing everyone visiting the baby as i was so chuffed!!

I had this, it’s carpal tunnel, I remember not even being able to use my hands to turn the bathroom doorknob first thing in the morning. I used to try to keep my hands raised as much as possible even in bed and massaged them during the day. The good news is within a day of giving birth they started to return to normal.

@Mrsharrison ibuprofen is very dangerous for unborn babies, even in third trimester. It can cause heart problems.

Never even thought about carpal tunnel! That would explain the numbness and pins and needles!!

So good to hear they go back to normal. I would say fingers crossed but, you know...

DO NOT TAKE IBUPROFEN!!!

It's not particularly safe in pregnancy but even more so in third trimester.

The massage could be a shout maybe a full pregnancy massage will help plus it will be lovely and relaxing

Thank god you said it @LittleLightbulb

I have this. My midwife recommended gentle finger massage (just from DH, not professional) to help shift the trapped fluid, elastic bandages with thumb holes cut into them, keeping hands cool to minimise heat-related swelling, drinking plenty of water, and cutting down salt. And promised that it should go very soon after the birth! I sympathise, it is horrible - but you've really not got long to go now.

@Mustang27 to be honest, I would never take anything recommended to me on the internet without asking my doc first. It's amazing how quickly people are to come online and recommend medication to pregnant women with no medical knowledge. Very irresponsible!

@LaDameAuxLicornes thank you!

You know, this thread is bloody brilliant I never thought of carpal tunnel and my gp said it was normal pregnancy swelling. I've had a google and am convinced it's carpal tunnel, so thanks everyone 🙏🏽 off to massage my fingers. They're so painful.

Please do seek medical advice about this, none of us know what is causing it. Make sure your wedding ring etc are taken off.

As PPs have said, try to elevate your hands if you can, and massage them a bit to encourage drainage. It really does go away fast.

I had carpal tunnel in my first pregnancy. It felt better when I could go swimming through the pressure and movement. Second time, using splints at night also helped.

I think it was exacerbated by SPD as I could barely move my lower body to keep my circulation going. It was a really unpleasant combination. I woke up hourly with pins and needles, and had to painfully heave my massive body over to the other side and reactivate the dead arm before repeating the next hour. I was also snowed in as I didn't dare drive on sheet ice in the final weeks of pregnancy. My fingers were too numb to do crafts. I could barely move and was too tired to read more than a column in a magazine. All I could do was sit on a firm chair playing computer games and take naps. It was a very uncomfortable, tedious existance in those final weeks.

It shifted rapidily after having baby, although sweating it out was interesting. Normal sensation resumed within a few days.

As with PPs, I'd wonder about carpal tunnel which is a fair pest. You might see if you can get a referral to a physio for helpful exercises and advice about whether day/night splints might be useful.

A bowl of icy water is great for bringing down the swelling; then exercise your fingers gently by stretching them in rice. Also drink lots more water, it might help. I didn't get carpal tunnel until after giving birth, but the chiropractor working on my neck helped it enormously, so if you can afford it I suggest finding a chiropractor or an osteopath who specialises in pregnancy massage (unless you're high risk for any reason, ask GP if you aren't sure and you'll have to wait until the baby is born if so).

I recently saw some light compression gloves to help with carpal tunnel syndrome as DH has it. Might be worth looking at and asking midwife or women's health physio re them?

It's amazing how quickly people are to come online and recommend medication to pregnant women with no medical knowledge

AIBU to want to just cut the bloody things off? Will they go back to normal?

Then call NHS 24 or see your doctor!!!!!

@Rebecca36 I have already sought medical advice and they said it was nothing to worry about. I just thought I would seek advice from other women who have had a similar experience. I will absolutely try things like cool water, massage and elevation etc as I can't see any of those being harmful (avoiding be ibuprofen suggestion of course )

Good job I don't have a wedding ring or any rings for that matter!

@justwantedalaugh I have seen my doctor. I don't see any issue in asking online for people's experiences, especially women who have been through the same thing.

I do see an issue in someone recommending ibuprofen to a pregnant woman. Just because I asked for advice, doesn't mean you offer it when you haven't a scooby what you're talking about...

Definitely going to ask my midwife about carpal tunnel. Thanks all!

Slightly different, but I twisted my ankle late pregnancy and it swelled up like a balloon, it stayed that way until a week after I had given birth. It has never been a problem since.

So your fingers should go down but it may not be immediately.

Someone gave me this pregnancy cooling gel for my enormous feet and ankles when I was pregnant, it feels nice and if you massage it in gently might provide some temporary, albeit minty, relief.