Pregnancy, bronchitis and CTS
Dr Bland a couple of years ago you gave great advice and insight on my own CTS and steroid injection (I am leading a normal life now). I thought I would now post on behalf of a good friend who is unable to do so as heavily pregnant (due by Christmas) and down with bronchitis and confirmed CTS in both hands.
She has a lot of fluid retention and has put on 20Kgs. She is spending a long time on her devices too, and as it turns out changing head position seems to help sometimes.
CTS in her right hand sounds severe as all of her median nerve fingers have gone tingly / numb all the time, she cannot feel heat. Thankfully just the middle finger on her left hand though. Right hand thumb is numb too but it used to be before CTS as she had a fall on broken glass years ago which left long term injuries. However she has no issues moving and using her right hand thumb.
As for stabbing pain, just rather mild at some point during the day. She is wearing a splint at night and reporting virtually no pain through the night when wearing it.
She has been put on 30mg of prednisone tablets daily for her bronchitis for three days. Also in case this is at all relevant, 20 micrograms of ipratropium bromide six times a day and 100 micrograms of Salbutamol six times a day, both for a week.
I am concerned the fact she is unable to get a steroid injection at this point due to the other issues might put her median nerve in danger.
It would be great to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much again.
Thanks for the update, and congratulations to your friend :-) Most do improve after delivery of the baby but the proportin is probably somewhat overestimated in the ordinary medical literature so if some symptoms persist beyond 3 months or so she should get it seen to. JB
30 mg daily of oral prednisolone should be enough to have some impact on the CTS too and if delivery is due by Xmas there is a good chance that things will improve then anyway. It could be injected at this point if someone could be found to do it. JB