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Dec. 21st, 2016 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_rckDamn. What I thought was tendinitis is actually arthritis, so I can expect the problems with my hands to get worse over years rather than better over weeks.
I have two new sets of spica splints, one for day and one for night because arthritis in the particular joint where I have it destabilizes a bone, the bone between the base of the thumb and the wrist. That moving is the source of a lot of my pain. Of course, I’m supposed to keep moving as much as I can while still using a splint to keep that bone in place.
Treatment, apart from the splints, would normally include NSAIDs, but first off, those don’t help my pain, and second, they’re on the list of things that my body is genetically predisposed not to metabolize properly. So it’s heat and hoping at this point. They can do steroid injections, but there’s a limit of two (I think per joint) in a lifetime. The PA said that, if I get to a second injection, they’ll already be scheduling surgery. The surgery for this involves removing a bone and filling the space with tendons harvested from elsewhere in my body. They don’t like to do it because it tends to weaken the hand, but many people who have the problem find their hands stronger after the surgery simply because things were so bad before.
I’m not keen on the surgery, but I’m 49, so it may well happen eventually. Right now, I’m having trouble with mugs of tea, books (including paperbacks), and typing. Oh, and opening jars and using a can opener and stirring things and writing anything by hand. The idea that this is going to be with me permanently almost makes me cry.
The PA says there’s no research showing benefit from glucosamine but that, if it wouldn’t interfere with my other medications, she saw no reason not to try it as some patients find it helpful. The Mayo Clinic page on glucosamine interactions gives me the impression that there may be issues for me because of the problems I already have with metabolizing medications along certain pathways. I’m not willing to give up either Tamoxifen or Singulair, both of which are already on the borderline because I’m genetically predisposed to metabolize them poorly.
All of the listed things are 'may' be problems instead of being expressed with more certainty, but the list is kind of long and scary. I just can't tell if that 'may' means 'there's some evidence but no research' or 'we have no idea, so we're going to list everything we can think of that might, even theoretically, be a problem.'
I have two new sets of spica splints, one for day and one for night because arthritis in the particular joint where I have it destabilizes a bone, the bone between the base of the thumb and the wrist. That moving is the source of a lot of my pain. Of course, I’m supposed to keep moving as much as I can while still using a splint to keep that bone in place.
Treatment, apart from the splints, would normally include NSAIDs, but first off, those don’t help my pain, and second, they’re on the list of things that my body is genetically predisposed not to metabolize properly. So it’s heat and hoping at this point. They can do steroid injections, but there’s a limit of two (I think per joint) in a lifetime. The PA said that, if I get to a second injection, they’ll already be scheduling surgery. The surgery for this involves removing a bone and filling the space with tendons harvested from elsewhere in my body. They don’t like to do it because it tends to weaken the hand, but many people who have the problem find their hands stronger after the surgery simply because things were so bad before.
I’m not keen on the surgery, but I’m 49, so it may well happen eventually. Right now, I’m having trouble with mugs of tea, books (including paperbacks), and typing. Oh, and opening jars and using a can opener and stirring things and writing anything by hand. The idea that this is going to be with me permanently almost makes me cry.
The PA says there’s no research showing benefit from glucosamine but that, if it wouldn’t interfere with my other medications, she saw no reason not to try it as some patients find it helpful. The Mayo Clinic page on glucosamine interactions gives me the impression that there may be issues for me because of the problems I already have with metabolizing medications along certain pathways. I’m not willing to give up either Tamoxifen or Singulair, both of which are already on the borderline because I’m genetically predisposed to metabolize them poorly.
All of the listed things are 'may' be problems instead of being expressed with more certainty, but the list is kind of long and scary. I just can't tell if that 'may' means 'there's some evidence but no research' or 'we have no idea, so we're going to list everything we can think of that might, even theoretically, be a problem.'
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no subject
Date: 2016-12-21 09:58 pm (UTC)Hugs
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Date: 2016-12-22 12:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 03:06 am (UTC)Have you looked at the Arthritis Foundation website? There is information there on supplements, etc. http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/
I take SAM-e as needed. It works as well as a low dose of Motrin and has no side effects for me. However, I take only one other medication daily and SAM-e doesn't interact with it. Your situation may be entirely different.
There is a new study showing modest benefit for hand OA for Chondroitin Sulfate.
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Date: 2016-12-23 12:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 07:29 am (UTC)My father ha arthritis in his fingers and feel glucosamine really helps.
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Date: 2016-12-22 12:42 pm (UTC)