Swollen hands - pain relief?

[2020firsttimemum]

Hiya

Any tips to help with swelling in hands and feet? My hands are SO sore (more so than my feet) and doing a full fist is out of the question 😂
Opening juice bottles etc is proving rather difficult now too. I have a midwife appointment on Tuesday so will check with her then but wasn't sure if there was anything in the meantime?

I'm 32 + 2 and the swelling has been gradual (I think) so don't think it's pre eclampsia plus no other symptoms of that.

Any help would be appreciated, driving me mad now 😩

Swelling of hands, feet and face is one on the big signs of pre eclampsia I personally wouldn’t wait until Tuesday, I would phone the number on the front of your maternity notes book!
Hope it’s nothing to worry about

@Shanlou12 thanks for replying! I went to the hospital a week ago Friday just gone and they took my blood pressure then and didn't mention anything (went in with reduced movements and all okay)

It has got worse since then but I did already have the swelling at that point.

Obviously safety of baby and myself is important but the hospital is 45 mins away so don't want to waste their time if not required. Thought they would have said something if there was any issue then. Also they did a urine sample too and again, don't think there was anything suspicious

That’s good to hear :) did you mention the swelling??
Probably is nothing to worry about maybe just phone midwife tomorrow see what she suggests?

@Shanlou12 no I didn't mention it to be fair. They were quite busy and I was kind of left by myself to be monitored aha. It wasn't as painful at the time either so didn't really think too!

Then I would tell your midwife just to be on safe side maybe phone in morning :) x

It could be Carpal tunnel, I had it during the latter stages of pregnancy. My hands were so swollen first thing I couldn’t even turn a door knob. Try keeping them elevated as much as possible, prop them up on cushions when you’re sitting or lying down. Also gently massaging them should help. Mine completely recovered after I gave birth, within a couple of days they were back to normal.

@BarkandCheese yeah the midwife I saw said she thinks it's carpel tunnel as well. I didn't think that you got swollen fingers with that though and my wrists don't hurt at all so I was surprised!

Definitely got worse over the last couple of days but I guess there isn't much I can do about it really

I had swollen hands and feet that was getting worse throughout most of my pregnancy. I'd put the swelling down to the heat. I had pre-eclampsia, but I didn't have high blood pressure and proteinuria until 36 weeks.

As I didn't have any other symptoms, I didn't think anything of it even though it was getting worse, so kept playing it down whenever I saw the midwife. Please go and get yourself checked out

I have this too!! Started a week ago! I'm 37+3 atm. Every morning my knuckles are so sore I can hardly bend my hands! I have no swelling though. After a few hours up and about they go back to normal... something obviously happens over night! Hands look like Lego hands for the first part of the morning 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I hope you get answers.

@Dyra oh no really! Did you have any other symptoms? I literally saw her on Tuesday and there was nothing wrong with my blood pressure or my urine sample so unsure what else she could have checked. I've had no headaches or blurred vision etc either so I'm unsure myself

Changes are it's carpel tunnel, it's pretty common.

I have it a little bit so the advice I was given might not be the same but my midwife told me that when I get up (and throughout the day) put my hands above shoulder height and circle my wrists a few times. Then touch each finger to my thumb a few times. This should help shift the excess fluid that's collecting.
She also said that if that wasn't working chances are I'd have to contact my gp to get hand splints.

I'm very sorry. I misread your post, and didn't realise you had seen the midwife. I thought it had just been a phone call and you didn't want to bother them again. My mistake.

Please anyone reading this, never feel you're bothering the midwives. The ones I work with tell me they'd sooner be bothered 100 times and it be nothing, than have one time they're actually needed be missed.

As for your question, unfortunately yes. I had no headaches, no epigastric pain and no vision changes. Other than being 36 weeks pregnant, I felt just fine. I just had puffy hands and feet. The midwife only sent off the bloods at 36 weeks as a precautionary measure since my BP was only slightly high, and there was just a bit more than a trace of protein in my urine.

Hope that the rest of your pregnancy goes well, and your swelling doesn't get any worse. ❤️

@Dyra haha don't worry!

Oh bless you! Hope you and bubs were okay though?! ❤️

I'll keep an eye on it and if anything else occurs then of course I'll call them. My 34 week is over the phone and my 36 weeks is face to face at a birth centre so hopefully if nothing changes and there is any problems it will be picked up then.

Thanks for your advice!

Baby and I were absolutely fine. Induced at 37 weeks, baby a very healthy 7lb5oz and just a small second degree tear at the end of it all. Already planning a second one.