[abbyrition]

I have been diagnosed idiopathic PN of the large intestine. I've been able to manage most of my symptoms through diet. I have gotten the flair ups down to about twice a year, and no where as near as bad as they were. My symptoms have been related to my bowels, fatigue, dizziness, and pain in my large intestine. I never had the numbness or tingling everyone else has spoken of.

Until, about 3 weeks ago. My hands sometimes up to my elbows, ocassionally my feet up to the mid shin, and even more occasionally my face tingles. First it was the tingling, particularly when I sat upright in any sort of office chair. It happens when I cross my legs or lean on my arms or elbows. Then the tingling became less, and the pain started, mostly my thumbs were useless. My hands often curl into fists tightly without me noticing. I've rested and done very little, and slowly most of the symptoms have minimized and only cause issue when I cross my legs, lean on my arms, or use my hands repeatedly for any sort of detailed work.
All this seems to tell my my PN is progressing, and diet alone isn't doing the job much anymore. I've gone back to my neurologist and she's ordered tests.

However my question is: I seem to have developed some kind of cyst on my hand at the base of my pointer finger on the palm side, not the top. Is this part of the PN for any reason, or unrelated? I know ya'll aren't doctors, but I've found many people in this forum are more often more informed than the doctors I've seen. Has anyone had this issue? Do you know if it's related?
I've searched the PN forums and found several with cysts, but it mostly appears due to circulation issues. I don't seem to be having this concern. Thank you if you can provide any input, as my anxiety doesn't need anything else to increase it...

[Kitt]

I cannot help you as far as the cyst. However, has Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies (HNPP) ever been thought of? What made me think of it was when you posted that your hands curl up, cross your legs, lean on your arms, and use your hands repeatedly for detailed work. And after awhile it minimizes. Here is a very good site on the subject.

http://www.hnpp.org/

[mrsD]

Is your cyst hard or soft?

People sometimes get calcium spurs in the hand. Using some tool, or a video game controller can be triggers.

I had a hard lump on the side of my left index finger this summer, between 2 joints. I applied magnesium lotion to it liberally and it finally shrank away.

There is a condition called Pseudogout, that women get more often than men, and it involves calcium being deposited along bones.

http://www.rheumatology.org/practice...pseudogout.asp

My son had a hard lump in his palm, near the base of his 3rd finger (ring finger) from a video game controller. It reabsorbed in a few weeks, and never came back.

There are soft cysts of fat that may form along tendons called lipomas.

http://www.eplasty.com/index.php?opt...010&Itemid=121
These would feel rather soft, compared to a calcium spur which would be rather hard.

[abbyrition]

Originally Posted by mrsD

Is your cyst hard or soft? -Hard and soft, I know that doesn't help much it's like a vitamin e capsule. Hard and firm, but pliable.

People sometimes get calcium spurs in the hand. Using some tool, or a video game controller can be triggers. - I have one of these on my right hand near the knuckle from my school days of holding a pen. That one is firm, and fixed. Not the case with this new issue.

There are soft cysts of fat that may form along tendons called lipomas.

These would feel rather soft, compared to a calcium spur which would be rather hard.

From my google searches it most resembles a ganglion cyst. I go to the doctor tomorrow about it, but he knows relatively nothing about PN (as it seems to me). And I assume they are going to want to pierce or surgically remove it. Since I had the recent flare up in my hands I was wondering if the cyst growth - which seems to have formed about the same time of the flare, was related to PN? I guess if it's not a common topic you've seen MrsD, then it's not. I think you quite possibly know everything, btw! Thank you for always being here!

[januarybabe]

I had a ganglion cyst On my wrist and it just went away on it's own. It never occurred to me that it could be related to PN. My pain is mainly in my legs, however.

[abbyrition]

Originally Posted by Kitt

I cannot help you as far as the cyst. However, has Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies (HNPP) ever been thought of? What made me think of it was when you posted that your hands curl up, cross your legs, lean on your arms, and use your hands repeatedly for detailed work. And after awhile it minimizes. Here is a very good site on the subject.

Wow Kitt! This sounds a lot like me these days. I checked out the link and I'll address it with my Neurologist at my next appointment.

[abbyrition]

Originally Posted by Kitt

I cannot help you as far as the cyst. However, has Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies (HNPP) ever been thought of? What made me think of it was when you posted that your hands curl up, cross your legs, lean on your arms, and use your hands repeatedly for detailed work. And after awhile it minimizes. Here is a very good site on the subject.

http://www.hnpp.org/

I just wanted to thank you again for offering up a suggestion, anything helps these days when it seems my doctors know nothing...
I had my nerve conduction and EMG done yesterday. They said my nerves are great, and my tests were negative. They have also referred me out to a rhumatologist to do more testing for Lupus due to an abnormality in my bloodwork with the proteins showing inflammation.
So another negative test. (she said the test results ruled out HNPP as a possibility)
And another doctor to visit... Yea (read with your sarcasm voice here for accuracy).
I figured ya'll deserve an update, considering you are wonderful resources of knowledge, and I appreciate you!
The hand specialist did say the cyst was a ganglion cyst & they offered surgery to remove it. I declined because I wanted to get the EMG out of the way first. But in the last 2 months it seems to be getting larger. However it's not related to PN, as I was informed all tests negative.
Time to go search the boards for Lupus info... (I didn't see a dedicated board to that one...)