My hands have been flaring. I went to the doctor and we were discussing the numbness, pain, the dexterity problems, mobility problems, and overall stiffness in both my hands.
Obviously, hands are useful appendages. And it has been problematic. For opening things, grasping things, typing, using things like cutlery and a toothbrush. Doing things like cleaning. I have been getting around things in different ways and pacing. And trying to stretch out the pain. Ignore the pain. Trying to get around the functionality issues.
MS flare?
We discussed how this could be a MS flare. I am not sure what is a flare and what isn’t a flare yet. But she did say they can occur where they have happened before. My hand went numb initially in 2013. Then again recently it did the same thing. And it remained sort of numb-ish. Always has had reduced sensitivity. Not as numb as it initially was. Not that numb. But definitely reduced sensitivity and some mobility issues in a couple fingers.
Then just suddenly this horrible pain that came with serious stiffness and problems moving my fingers. Stiff all the way through my elbows and up to my shoulders. But mostly my hands. And that pain, I mean, severely affecting mobility.
I tried hand exercises which were quite painful, but I kept at them. Nothing relaxed them. Nothing released that stiffness or loosened them up. Or helped with the dexterity or mobility.
My neurologist doesn’t want me on medication for MS until I have demonstrated a flare up. My doctor decided to see if this was a flare up since it involved my hands, again.
Prednisone
Well, damn. If I thought for a moment this was what it was I would have mentioned it sooner. I honestly thought it was arthritis or something. Which I can’t rule out, since inflammation is inflammation. But the pain is vastly reduced at this point. The mobility has returned. A lot of the dexterity has returned but not all of it. Still have difficulty with some things like handwriting and such.
The stiffness is still somewhat present. Like cumbersome fingers. On the left side.
I’ve regained some sensation in my numb right hand. Not in the two fingers that are most effected by the numbness, and down the palm from them, but in the rest of the hand, yes- a bit. Feels weird. And cool. It Feels more. They also tingle with sensation. It is weird.
But my doctor said it is not beneficial to remain on it for extended periods of time. However, she is not well versed in MS. And neither am I. Yet. She is well versed in me and my health issues and I do believe she knows that it likely isn’t a good idea for me, specifically to be on it longer. And we discussed getting physio specific to MS. So my next job is looking that up via MS information sites.
But basically very little pain. I can cup my hands into a fist and open them wide. I can close my hands and move the fingers across my palm as I open my fist up- which was pretty limited and not happening before. I can type faster. I can touch my fingers to my thumb fast on my left hand, and decently on my left.
I honestly wonder if this is a MS thing or something else. And I do wonder if this will be sufficient to keep it gone.
I hope the seven days I have will be sufficient to reduce the inflammation that is going on. And that it will not all return after I am done. And the low dosage as well.
One day after
So far everything is stable. It all remains the same as it did yesterday. So that is good, but I have never taken this before so no idea how long the effects last.
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Chronically Nikki 