Hands Turning In
 

I'm probably paranoid.... but... I have to ask for input. I've learned it's better to ask and get things out on the table than to just keep it inside and worry and wonder.:o

Several months ago, before I even suspected ms, I remember my hubby touching my hand while I slept and I woke up. He said, your hand is so pretty the way you've been curling it up when you sleep. I thought it was sweet that he noticed, and I said, I don't know when I started doing that, it's just more comfortable.

Now, months later, I've started to notice that it actually is hard NOT to automatically curl my hands when I'm trying to get comfortable to fall asleep. I've noticed when I put my hands in my lap, they automatically want to curl inward. When I try not to do it, it is actually difficult to keep them straightened out.

I tried to find this on the internet but haven't been able to. So it probably isn't related to ms, BUT, everytime I think something isn't .... then I find out it is. You know, I just wonder....what is this leading to??!?!!

This has seemed like just a small thing... but over time, at this point, it starts to worry me. Any ideas from any of you smart folks! :)
Thank you,
~Friend

Mine do it too, it's spasticity in my case. Sometimes I grip something so hard, I crush it, other times, it will fall out of my hand and I won't even know it until I hear it land.

Are you taking any anti-spaz meds?

Oh, beware of coffee in paper cups!

I'm not taking meds of anykind right now...just the Beta. It seems I'm just noticing a learning about a lot of things...haven't even talked to the doc about this.

Thank you for you input. :hug: It does help to be not so alone with some of this stuff!

You must have some active spinal lesions (or damage from them) as you seem to be just following me around with the disease symptoms, friend . . . ?

Cindy is right, it is spasticity. People do it with their feet too sometimes.

I started to get that in the early 2000's. I found that when I brushed my teeth or did anything that required concentration with the other hand, my left hand curled, my arm bent, and I drew all that up against my body. Before you know it, I had a "claw hand" (think Terry Schiavo).

I started wearing braces at night to stop the "contorting" (don't know if that's a word, but I use it all the time :D) of my limbs while I slept. Otherwise I would wake up really sore in the morning, and my arms and legs felt like my tendons were pulled to the max, before the day even started.

Within a few days of going on LDN those symptoms completely went away, as did the pain. If I missed the LDN, even for a day, the symptoms came back (mildly). I never missed more then a few days of LDN though . . .

I had my first real/disabling attack a few months ago, since going on LDN. I inadvertantly left an infection untreated for FAR too long, and it seems that for the last year, I had only been giving myself 2.75 mg of liquid LDN, instead of the recommended 3.0 - 4.5 mg (thought the cap held 4.5 mg :rolleyes:). During the attack, and until I got back on the 4.5 mg, I had that symptom back in full force (plus many others).

Even now, I have to consciously straighten my wrists and hands at night time, to stop myself from bending them . . . but I am still hoping it goes away again, once I am fully recovered though.

Cherie

LDN???
(think Terry Schiavo). Yes, that is what I fear!

My mom's got it bad. You really need to focus on keeping your hand stretched out and not allowing it to curl - even manually stretching it. That will help the tendons/ligaments that oppose the curl from contracting. (As per her neuro, but if you figure out how to convince my mom to do it...let me know!)

Greta,
 

Thank you for the advice. I want to keep everything "normal" for as long as possible. :)

This happened to me during the first attack/exacerbation 5 years ago. And then again after the car wreck. I don't think I had it as bad as you. I didn't follow up on it with the docs and eventually it wasn't a problem anymore.

Any chance this could be arthritis?

Not trying to be a wise-guy. Just giving you ideas to quiz your doc on the next appointment you have.

Moose,
 

Well, it's good to know that maybe it won't last, at least. I just don't know what is permanent and what isn't. It seems to have been around for quite a while and just gradually gotten worse.

I don't think you are being a wise guy, just an experienced ms'er. Which makes you wise in a good way! :wink: I know as I've said before, can't always blame everything on ms. Though "most" of the problems end up being just that. I guess I'm old enough for arthritis. Life is such an adventure these days.

Thanks for sharing! Take Care!:hug:

Sorry if the Terry comment scared you :hug:. . . it was meant to be a visual of where I ended up.

Of course, I did get past it too, and that had been getting progressively worse for several years (with no sign of potential for improvement throughout that period).

LDN is Low Dose Naltrexone. It's a drug that was brought out more then 30 yrs ago for drug and alcohol addiction . . . but at a very low dose, has been anecdotally successful with MS and our symptoms as well. Last I heard it couldn't be taken with any other CRAB except Copaxone though, but they were recently doing trials with the interferons and I haven't heard yet how it faired as far as safety, etc.

Cherie

Sorry if the Terry comment scared you :hug:. . . it was just meant to be a visual of where I ended up.

Of course, I did get past it too, and that had been getting progressively worse for several years (with no sign of potential for improvement throughout that period).

LDN is Low Dose Naltrexone. It's a drug that was brought out more then 30 yrs ago for drug and alcohol addiction . . . but at a very low dose, has been anecdotally successful with MS and our symptoms as well. Last I heard it couldn't be taken with any other CRAB except Copaxone though, but they were recently doing trials with the interferons and I haven't heard yet how it faired as far as safety, etc.

Cherie

I clench my hands, not so much curl them.:( When its really bad
I have to cut my talons. They dig into my palms when im on a
clenching spree.:(

Good luck:)

Thanks Cherie,
 

You didn't scare me... I had already done that to myself. I had already pictured her in my mind. I am definitely a realist. I don't Expect the worst to happen, but I do liked to Prepare for it in case it does.:cool: Thanks! :hug:

I have never had this happen with my hand. However, in one of my flares it happened to my foot. It took a bit but I was finally able to straighten it out. I have only had that happen 1 other time and that was a good year ago or so.

Spasticity is a beautiful thing isn't it? LOL. It can do some funny things to our limbs. I do find that soaking in an Epsom salt bath before bed helps me during the night.

Good luck and let us know what becomes of you newly designed hand courtesy of MS. LOL

Thanks for the tip on the Epsom Salts. I'll give that a try. Seems my Grandma used to think that was good for everything.:)

HA...Yeah....I'm a regular designer fashion plate!!!!!!!:D

Take Care!:hug: