can someone explain what's happening?
 

I have severe nerve pain in my hands and feet. there are a number of changes occurring and I have no one to ask what to do. My right hand is barely usable. The skin is tight, hard and leathery. My palm is excruciating. It has become rock solid. Is this muscle atrophy? The skin is shiny and it feels like all the muscles and tendons have frozen and become solid.

My hands and feet become swollen regularly with fluid and the skin is loose on the soles of my feet. It's painful to walk on when it's like this. When I had a pain specialist she suggested it could be a side effect of Gabapentin. I'm on 2400mg daily.

My right leg is also now quite a bit thinner than my left so I have muscle wastage too Does anyone have any suggestions? I have no specialist care, just a GP. I want to know if there is any self help I can do. Thanks ( :

Perhaps, you need a rheumatologist to examine your situation.

What comes to my mind is scleroderma:

http://www.scleroderma.org/site/Page...ts_whatis.html

In the meantime, using epsom salts soaks on that hand may help with the pain. They will open up the circulation which tends to get poor with this inflammatory condition. Don't use hot water, just lukewarm. If the epsom salts work, then a magnesium lotion topically can be used daily for convenience.

Good morning indigo :)
 

I'm sorry you are going through this Indigo. The bottom of my feet, especially my heels and toe area look leathery and shiny.

Any self help
 

that I could think of is going to be painful. I don't think there is any physical therapy that is not painful. Your right hand sounds like you might have quit using it or working on it. That atrophy would be in addition to any others. I had muscle wasting in my thigh and buttocks and have gained some strength but still not back to normal, maybe 60% of normal. I know that exercize will be painful but that is my suggestion. If you don't work on that hand, I fear that it will become too far frozen and tight. Then if your symptoms get better your hand won't be better. I know what I am saying sucks but I have seen several people that have (mostly from strokes) had hands that they gave up on. I hope that you don't give up. Exercize to tolerance. My wasting lasted about 8 mo to a year. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

Hi Ken. I've exercised both hands and feet twice daily since early into this illness. 3 years in May. And of course daily living means using my hands all the time. The exercises are ones I learnt in 2 different hospitals and cover all types of movement.

Hi Mrs D. I've wondered about scleroderma. Have been tested for it some time back but will discuss the with my Dr.

Thanks for the ideas everyone

Has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome been ruled out? A friend of mine had this with similar symptoms as yours. Hers only afflicted one hand, but it can spread.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comple..._pain_syndrome

Hi indigo

Sorry to hear things are progressing like this. If you suspect it might be scleroderma as MrsD has suggested I'm guessing there'll be a long wait for a Rheumatology appt. at the hospital.

What you could do in the meantime is contact the Education Officer at the Arthritis Foundation. You don't have to be a member to use their services. They may be able to come visit you at home and would be able to help work out what you can do to self-help and would know of any other resources.

http://www.pncsc.co.nz/cms/page.php?...-manawatu-home

Let me know if there's any thing else I can look up for you.

Take care - bluesfan

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I did see a rheumatologist in the first year of my illness, privately, as the wait list was so long. It cost $320 and he was useless. He went off on the most bizarre way and the appt was a waste of time and money. He's who I'd see if I go onto the hospital waiting list. They've tested for inflammation but it doesn't feature much in the results.

I've seen 2 pain specialists and both said Central sensitisation disorder I asked the first one about CRPS and he became very annoyed and said it doesn't spread and I didn't have it. He'd met me for about 10 minutes so i was impressed at his powers of deduction (please excuse sarcasm )
I did trust the second one, she was very thorough, so I've trusted her diagnosis. To be honest I don't think there's anyone left to see. Not in the New Zealand health system anyway.

Will have a chat with the Arthritis people.

Thanks guys ( :