I have had sore wrists/hands for a few weeks and am starting to get very worried indeed

[ShowOfHands]

I have the strangest, achiest wrists/hands/fingers. Sometimes accompanied by a numbness or pins and needle type feeling. It can be on the inside of my wrist and shooting pains down into my thumb, sometimes the outside of my wrist with shooting pains into my little finger. It can't be something as simple as carpal tunnel as it's on the outside too. Also getting sore finger joints intermittently.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes wakes me in the night. The pain's not there all the time, comes and goes throughout the day and sometimes isn't there at all.

I've plucked up the courage to go to the doctors today and he has ordered blood tests but not for another week and then a week for the results. He said he is testing for rheumatoid arthritis or other joint infections. He said the lack of swelling though (had a good feel, I haven't felt swelling either) was a good sign and he didn't expect it was rheumatoid arthritis.

I'm getting in such knots about it. My great aunt has MS and that started with odd aches and pins and needles. Also have a family history of arthritis.

I keep imagining terrible things.

There ends self pitying post.

Hormone imbalances, lack of Vitamin B12 and lots of other conditions can cause this. Try not to worry.

Will the blood test show up any of this?

I'm a ball of worry. I lie awake worrying that it's something terrible.

I've had something similar. I had x-rays, blood tests & an MRI and the final conclusion was 'wear & tear due to joint hypermobility' (I used to be double jointed before I got old & fat)
The blood tests will probably be fairly comprehensive. Try to keep positive until you get the results (not easy I know)

What blood tests has he done? If the hormones are raised (ie, thyroid) then this and the clinical indications will show that there's something you need treating for IYWIM.
I'm having tests for MS, there's loads of other symptoms. Hands are finiky things.

I don't know what he's testing for. He said he was ruling out RA and other joint infections. Also said he'd check iron levels for me as I mentioned as a separate issue that my periods are quite heavy and making me tired (always been mildly anaemic and was very anaemic after em cs 23 months ago and wonder if I still am). Actually, I queried checking iron levels and he said 'oh they will be checked at the same time' so assume he's testing several things? I will ask next week as they're not taking blood until next Friday anyway.

Anaemia can do weird things aswell, palpitations etc.

ShowofHands - you dont have a baby/todler/child you are picking a lot up do you?

There was thread about somthing like this last week. Me and my wife both had those symptoms from picking up DS1 who was very very heavy when he was a baby.

I know Fluffy, after having dd my iron levels hit an all time low and I couldn't breathe properly when climbing stairs.

I feel ridiculous posting such a self pitying thread but it's on my mind all the time. I feel guilty that hoiking around dd hurts so I can't carry her when out for a walk. It's also affecting bfing which is usually a lovely cuddly time but having her lie in my arms is too much atm.

I never worried so much before having dd.

DD is 23 months and a whopping size- 99th centile so well over 35lbs and 3 feet tall! I do pick her up quite a bit but alway have and this pain is only a recent thing. I also bfeed and co-sleep so she lies in my arms a lot.

Maybe your arms are at the 'bloody hell I've had enough' stage?

I wish that were the case. But it seems too specific for that.

And the picking up thing would be more just your thumb and not finger joints too from what I read.

Everything I google (I know I know) says that bilateral joint pain is a Bad Thing.

I get the exact same pain and pins and needles you are descrbing - although mine is the Fibromyalgia. Of course I'm not saying thats what you have. I know how frustrating it is though. I ahve a mild background type pain all teh time, 24/7, but the pain you describe comes and goes, sometimes lasts for days, sometimes I can go weeks without it. it does get very bad that I shake sometimes or drop things!

Soetimes, i describe it as being like someone is pulling my muslces really tight

STOP GOOGLING!!!! IT'S BAD!!!!(not your hands, too much info)

Anaemia, vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalance etc can all cause these symptoms. Wait until the test reaults come back before you start to worry, you may be worrying for nothing.

I know about google, I know.

Saltire, I'm sorry. I've read posts you've written before about the level of pain.

I want to believe it could be something like those things you mention Fluffy but I keep thinking it wouldn't be such a specific wrist/hand problem would it? It would be more all over.

Two more weeks of tears and anxiety to go.

I have to say in the latter stages of breast-feeding dd when she was getting on for 3 (but still fairly petite) I had this pain in my hands and wrists. It wasn't standard carpal tunnel but I think it was related to carrying her and holding her in a funny position. It eventually spread to up my arms a bit and I had pins and needles in both of my shoulder blades by which time I was convinced I had a serious condition. I had Bowen Technique - (a holistic therapy) and it was amazing that the upper back was the source of all of my pain which was coming out in my hands and finger. Now completely cured so worth a look at if it could be that.

Do you have any other symptoms?

In the meantime, try those wrist supports, you can buy them in places like Boots. They might help, I use them

No other symptoms really. Have anaemia symptoms- fatigue, mild breathlessness, pale inside of eyes etc, worse during period. Otherwise normal.

Yup, anaemia. You may find that your hand symptoms improve when you take some iron suppliments, you need iron to transport oxygen around, maybe your hand problems are a result of a lack of oxygen.

MS would have weird symptoms, reflux, severe fatigue, walking into things, memory problems, nerve pain/tingling/pins and needles, there are load. It really doesn't sound like you have this to be honest.

Oh, ShowOfHands, you poor thing having to carry all this worry around.

"I never worried so much before having dd." - this really struck a chord with me. I started to get anxious about my health when DS was 2 (oesophogeal cancer, brain tumour, and heart attack in my case!).

You've done the right thing by going to GP and you're getting checked out. Hopefully this will put your mind at rest.

Anxiety and stress can do odd things to your body - could this even be referred pain from your neck? I would suggest that you tell your GP what you're really frightened it could be - s/he may be able to reassure you straight away.

I'm going offline for the afternoon now, but will check in later. Try and relax

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

By FluffyBunnyGoneBad Fri 24-Apr-09 15:01:03 .

MS would have weird symptoms, reflux, severe fatigue, walking into things, memory problems, nerve pain/tingling/pins and needles, there are load. It really doesn't sound like you have this to be honest.

See I have alot of those symptoms - the fatigue, reflux,memory problems, tingling pins and needles!

Sorry for slight hijack SoH!

Thanks dearprudence, since having dd I have been anxious about my health. In the early days I had several mild heart attacks. It was the milk letting down. It's the knowledge that I have a child dependent on me and while it seems silly in the middle of the day, in the wee small hours of the night I get into such a state atm about leaving dd motherless. It's pathetic really.

The GP was lovely and when I said about bfing he said that overuse or wear and tear would present this way but was mostly confused by it not following any pattern. I didn't tell him how worried I was, didn't see the point.

Solo, not carpal tunnel, wrong place although my thumbs are sore.

Will think about wrist supports but they're so expensive and money's in short supply.

Hijack away Saltire.