Wrist splints
I tried them last night... Put them on for a couple of hours before bed whilst watching telly. Went to bed but took them off after about an hour as I couldn't go to sleep with them. At about 3.30 I woke with pins and needles in my right hand and lower arm so put one back on. Slept till about 5.30 and the other arm had gone to sleep! Put the other one on and slept till 7.00. Hands and arms have been a lot better during the day with no more swelling in my hands first thing. Made an appointment to see the physio on Monday 28th
Got the hang of sleeping with the wrist splints. Definately sleeping more, not so much intense pins and needles. But hands are still very stiff and painful in the morning. I found that warming them up and wiggling and rubbing them helps. Still can't open my right hand fully at the end of the day.
How long does it take for the stiffness to wear off in the morning - are we talking a few minutes or an hour or two? JB
It takes several hours depending whether or not I carrying regardless using my hands even though they hurt.
I'm still suspicious that there may be some other process than just CTS affecting your hands. Once we've managed to make contact with physiotherapy - we'll have another think about it. JB
Ok I have physio appointment tomorrow at 2.30 I will take the letter and encourage her to talk to you on here.
The physio suspects posture to be the problem so I have been given 3 excercises to do for 2 weeks. I am not sure that is the whole problem, my hands are still giving me problems and now kneeling is very uncomfortable, feels like I have have cusions in them but at the same time that my joints will pop at the same time. Splints are definately working, I now sleep through the night.
2 weeks of exercises sounds like a reasonably short experiment. We'll see whether I hear anything from pysio during that time and then see where to go next I think. JB
Depends what we decide to do. If I need to see you again that can be quick (days) but if we need other opinions that depends on other peoples/departments queues. JB
Spoken to a doctor at my surgery this afternoon (over the phone), as hands becoming more impossible to bear with at work, he has suggested blood tests, so I am booked in to have them done on the 19th November, he is going to see if there is any evidence of rumatoid arthritis.
Physio has said there isn't much she can do for me. Suggested I wait for the blood test results and insist on having my hands xrayed. Made a doctors appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
FYI if you can access my blood test results they are back at the surgery and were done on the 7th November at the William Harvey
I don't have access to the blood results I'm afraid but I think we should see you again next Monday and consider trying local steroid injection as an experiment. We have a space at 11:00am - can you make that? JB
Monday morning is not good, I don't work Tuesday's or Thursday's is that any help?
We can only inject on a Monday at present, though that may change in the next few weeks. JB
I got your appointment letter and have managed to get cover for me at work. See u Monday.
With 99% of injections yes - but just for the 1%, if you can get someone else to drive please do. JB
Hi left hand is fine following the injections earlier (no different to when I came in) but my right hand is sore.... Is this normal? Goes from the top of my thumb down to the area of the injection. It doesn't like any pressure to applied to it. It also quite stiff. Do I just take paracetamol to make it comfortable?
That does happen sometimes, though fortunately not too often. If it persists for more than 48 hours let me know please. JB
Update: back to normal, I also have an appointment to see the rheumatology department in Maidstone next Thursday so will give you and update after that. Thanks for your help, it's much appreciated, I have been busy catching up doing stuff I wasn't able to do for for months!
It takes a few nights of practice to get used to sleeping in them so persevere for a few days. JB