Hand problems, anyone else?

[rbadgio]

I'm a type one, controlled by insulin pump, been diabetic for 32 years and for the last six have had excellent control.(not so much before that) I have a reoccurring wrist / hand problem where if I use it a lot my thumb or middle finger locks to my palm and is really painful. I get pains up my forearm as well.

Went to the doc's twice (over about four years) they said there was nothing wrong. (Helpful!) Spoke to my sister in law who is a GP and she was flummoxed and thought it could be neuropathy. It's getting worse now.

Anyone had anything similar? Apologies for the long post!

 

[Energize]

Has the GP or your sister-in-law, considered 'Trigger finger/Thumb'?

 

[Jaylee]

One thought that occurs to me. (& it's just a thought.)

Do you use any power tools consistently, which vibrate during the action? (Angle grinder or hammer drill.?)

 

[urbanracer]

I do get pains in my wrists ( no jokes please anyone reading) that come and go. Sometimes I struggle to lift a mug of tea. I've had problems with my shoulder and upper legs all since becoming diabetic.

My blood tests were negative for inflammatory markers. I had some suspicions about the use of sweeteners (especially aspartame) and switched to sucralose. The wrist pains went away for a while but recently I was unable to buy my usual sweetener and switched back to Canderel. Been using it for a week and my wrist pains are back, so I'm changing again to see what happens.

Note to self, must try to give these things up.

 

[rbadgio]

Has the GP or your sister-in-law, considered 'Trigger finger/Thumb'?

That's what I thought it was, asked the GP and they said no because I don't have any of the other symptoms

 

[rbadgio]

One thought that occurs to me. (& it's just a thought.)

Do you use any power tools consistently, which vibrate during the action? (Angle grinder or hammer drill.?)

No not overly, I do a lot of DIY but I'm a teacher so not all the time.

 

[Energize]

That's what I thought it was, asked the GP and they said no because I don't have any of the other symptoms

What other symptoms does the GP think Trigger Finger cause? Not every patient with Trigger finger will have the 'classic' or 'case book' symptoms. I've had GPs adamant that I've not got a particular issue when I've been absolutely confident that I have. Sometimes, GPs (and other HCPs) just don't want to agree you (the patient) are intelligent enough to know what your problem is, so will actually, quite blatently, deny the obvious - I've had personal experience of this, unfortunately, and on more than one occasion with more than one GP!!!

I would suggest you get another appointment with a different doctor, don't say what you think it might be but say it's getting a bit worse etc and you want to know what it is. If no joy, ask for 'second opinion' and you should be referred to hospital to be seen, probably by an Orthopaedic team.

In the meantime, have you 'google'd' Trigger finger? The NHS site seems to describe you to a 'T' - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigger-finger/

[Edit - to add 2nd link] http://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/18/trigger_fingerthumb
Note: although usually due to a nodule, or thickening, inflammation could cause similar issue, perhaps, so there wouldn't be the 'click' usually associated with Trigger finger. (My supposition only - I'm not a medical/health professional but am a retired Orthopaedic nurse so only my personal suggestion, not to be taken as advice )

 

[rochari]

I'm a type one, controlled by insulin pump, been diabetic for 32 years and for the last six have had excellent control.(not so much before that) I have a reoccurring wrist / hand problem where if I use it a lot my thumb or middle finger locks to my palm and is really painful. I get pains up my forearm as well.

Went to the doc's twice (over about four years) they said there was nothing wrong. (Helpful!) Spoke to my sister in law who is a GP and she was flummoxed and thought it could be neuropathy. It's getting worse now.

Anyone had anything similar? Apologies for the long post!

I have problems with both of my hands which began a few years ago. I've been on insulin for 50 odd years and like you, had/have good control.

I have osteoarthritis in my right-hand and this is the one where random fingers lock and releasing them is, as you say, very painful. Like you, the pain travels up my arm. In my left hand I have diabetic cheiroarthropathy. No locking but the stiffness is now quite severe and I almost cannot use the fingers now. These days I have enormous problems trying to inject using my insulin pen and know for sure that there will come a day that a nurse will have to visit to do it for me.

Please get a second opinion and a referral to a consultant who is a specialist in hand-pain. They gave me a great deal of help and referred me on to physios who came up with a number of wee simple aids that did help, at least at the beginning.

Bill