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Post by deannagraham on Jul 2, 2009 14:36:11 GMT -5
I am really curious about the status of other people's hands. After my stem cell transplant, my system normalized quite a bit. My hands, however, continue to tighten and curl a year after the transplant. Does everybody, or a vast majority, have hand problems? I suppose Jeffn would call this a troll, but please tell me about your hands. How long did it take them to reach their maximum immobility? Did they remain in this state without changing, or did they reverse? Thanks for answers.
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Post by jeffn on Jul 2, 2009 21:04:10 GMT -5
No not a troll just a good question. I came upon the Shameless Troll idea when I noted that on the "other" board for the first few weeks there was someone who would ask questions and then answer them herself (and no it is not who some of you think it might be). Now she is not there much, she was not someone from the old board. Anyway I would see her post and say to myself "oh another shameless troll". I thought they might be good here to get some conversation going and get some good baseline kinds of info. But I subscribe to truth in advertising so I title them as Shameless Trolls.
My hands were my first problem, they were very sensitive, swollen, and became very painful and stiff. I could not shake hands and the like just hurt too much. Eight months in the middle and index fingers on my left hand began to curve over a ten day period. One month later my right hand did the same thing. It was kind of like a movie where the guy turns into a werewolf. The hands turning to claws and hurt like crazy. Previous to this I had difficulty making a fist and then after I closed my hand it hurt like crazy to open my fingers up. All the joints were very sore any time I opened or closed my fingers and my hands felt like they were in a bucket of broken glass all the time. By about a year in if I tried to close my hand my finger tips were about a inch from my palm at best. All my fingers had some curvature by this time - not a claw but curvature. Presently after almost two and a half years of mino my swelling is gone, sensitivity is much improved ( I can shake hands again), and my fingers are much more nimble. I can touch all of my finger tips to my palm but still can't make a fist like before due to thick skin under my middle and index fingers. I did notice a few months back that my little and ring finger can be very straight now when I stretch my fingers out. My middle and index fingers still have curvature. If I try to put my hand flat on a table my middle finger joint is about 3/4" off the table - index finger is less than that. I have had wrinkles on my fingers for quite a while now and seem to be getting more as time goes on.
Long story short - many if not most of my hand / finger issues have either improved or reversed. I am able to work with my hands again and while still somewhat sensitive they are much better than before. The only hand issue that has shown no improvement is my Raynauds.
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Post by Cubby on Jul 4, 2009 17:05:20 GMT -5
Well, I will chime in here too! My first symptoms were Raynauds , cold, white hands--but that seemed only to be a problem for about a month. Then my hands started to swell and burn. Eventually, they curled inward (took about a year). They were never totally, totally closed, but I only hand about 1/2 inch until they would have been.
After I started getting better, it took about a year, (may be 1 1/2) till they opened. However, they are still curled a little at the middle knuckles and from those knuckles to the tips, fingers are still a little hard (4 fingers, both hands, thumbs are OK). They are not swollen and do not hurt, but my hands will not lay totally flat on a desk. To date, that is my only residual. Otherwise, you would never know I had Scleroderma. I forget a lot of the time too.
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